U.S. keeps distance from chaos in Gaza

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-23-2003
U.S. keeps distance from chaos in Gaza
3
Tue, 07-20-2004 - 6:43pm

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apmideast_story.asp?category=1107&slug=US%20Israel%20Palestinians


Tuesday, July 20, 2004 · Last updated 1:48 p.m. PT


U.S. keeps distance from chaos in Gaza


By BARRY SCHWEID
AP DIPLOMATIC WRITER


WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration considers new Palestinian leadership critical to Mideast peace but is keeping its distance from the chaotic struggle in Gaza. "We will just have to watch it unfold," Secretary of State Colin Powell said Tuesday.


While renewing the administration's call for reform and faulting Yasser Arafat for not giving real power to two successive prime ministers, Powell still said, "It is up to the Palestinian people and Palestinian leaders to see how they want to move forward."


Describing the situation in Gaza as chaotic, Powell told reporters at the State Department, "All we can do is to follow it and see how the Palestinians resolve this problem."


On Capitol Hill, Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr., D-Del., agreed with the administration's assessment of Arafat. "The main obstacle to peace is the absence of responsible Palestinian leadership."


But Biden, at a Foreign Relations Committee hearing, said the administration's interest level in promoting an accord between the Palestinians and Israel appeared to wane after President Bush went to the region last year.


Specifically, Biden said the administration had failed to "more actively" support Mahmoud Abbas, known also as Abu Mazen, when he was prime minister. "Clearly, he was prepared to challenge Arafat, but at the end of the day he was discredited by his inability to deliver," Biden said.


And now, the committee's senior Democrat noted, a second prime minister, Ahmed Qureia, known also as Abu Ala, may be quitting.


"Promoting peace and securing Israel require hard work, day in and day out," Biden said in criticizing the administration's performance. "Benign neglect punctuated by episodic engagement imperils American strategic interests in the region."


Powell, on the other hand, defended the administration's record as he stood outside the State Department entrance, taking questions from reporters.


He said the administration supported both Palestinian prime ministers but they were not given real executive power and were unable to consolidate security forces.


"The fault for this is at the feet of Chairman Yasser Arafat," Powell said.


Meanwhile, a senior U.S. diplomat, David M. Satterfield, told the committee that the unrest in Gaza reflected a "clash of personalities" and not a struggle over making sorely needed changes in the Palestinian leadership to promote peacemaking with Israel.


Progress toward Palestinian statehood depends on a leadership change that will strengthen Palestinian security and block suicide attacks on Israel, Satterfield testified.


Due soon to take the post of U.S. ambassador to Jordan, Satterfield said the administration was trying hard to promote a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict but "the parties have the responsibility of taking steps" toward that goal.


There has been very little effort by the Palestinian Authority to address security, Satterfield said, "but we will continue to push them because as Israeli withdrawal from Gaza draws closer, it becomes increasingly vital that the Palestinian Authority be prepared to take over and maintain law and order and stability in Gaza."


Under the plan proposed by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, all 7,500 Israeli Jews who live in the territory, and the Israeli troops there to protect them, will be withdrawn. The settlements will be turned over to the Palestinians.


Satterfield, while registering administration support for the plan, cautioned Sharon that "it can't be Gaza first and Gaza last," meaning that Israel would be pressed to withdraw on other fronts, as well. Sharon, over some strong protest from Israeli militants, has offered to disband a half-dozen West Bank settlements while surrendering Gaza.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-18-2000
Fri, 07-23-2004 - 10:15am

Arafat grants estranged premier control over security forces
Israel gives Solana Frosty reception


http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=6547


Under growing pressure from his own people, Yasser Arafat agreed to grant his prime minister full authority over the security forces, a lawmaker said Thursday after meeting the Palestinian president.

Arafat's decision came as the EU's top diplomat raised pressure on the Palestinian president by hinting the EU would reconsider relations with him if his prime minister quit in a leadership struggle.

In the manifestation of a growing rift between Israel and Europe, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana that Europe could be frozen out of the Middle East peace process after universally condemning Israel's West Bank barrier.

In the West Bank city of Ramallah on Thursday, there were signs that Arafat and estranged Prime Minister Ahmed Qorei might be closer to resolving their standoff, but the two men remained at odds.

The Palestinian Parliament convened again after recommending that Arafat accept his premier's resignation and allow the appointment of a Cabinet with real power.

After the session, Arafat repeated that he wanted Qorei to stay and reminded him that he had the power to reshuffle his Cabinet if he thought that would help resolve the crisis, according to Legislator Imad al-Falouji, who is acting as a go-between between the estranged leaders.

Falouji said Arafat affirmed to Qorei that he had some security powers through his interior minister, who formally oversees two of the 12-odd security services.

"Arafat expressed his readiness to give (the prime minister) full authority to reshuffle his Cabinet in the way that he sees fit and give the government full ... authority over the internal security services," said Fallouji.

Officials close to Qorei dismissed Arafat's message.

"It's all nonsense and nothing new," said one.

Ultimate authority over the security services is held by the Arafat-run National Security Council. Qorei tendered his resignation Saturday after an eruption of unrest in Gaza over Arafat's refusal to allow Cabinet to carry out democratic reform. Arafat rejected the resignation.

In the newest show of defiance, several thousand demonstrators protested corruption in Gaza, scores of them masked gunmen wearing camouflage fatigues. "Our people will not accept corrupt men. We want a clean country," they chanted.

Asked about the possible departure of Qorei, Solana told reporters: "If that happens we will have to rethink a lot of things."

 


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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-23-2003
Fri, 07-23-2004 - 10:36am

If I typed what I'm thinking right at this moment...


I'm so tired of BOTH SIDES in this.


iVillage Member
Registered: 03-18-2000
Fri, 07-23-2004 - 10:40am

I hear you!

cl-Libraone~

 


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