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Colin Powell is heading home with no breakthrough toward a ceasefire.
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| By israelinsider staff April 17, 2002 |
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The ten-day visit of Secretary of State Colin Powell came to an end without any breakthrough, after a failed meeting with PA chief Yasser Arafat. Palestinian spokesmen termed the final meeting in Ramallah Wednesday as "catastrophic" and Arafat was shown "trembling with rage" after the meeting. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak reportedly canceled a meeting planned with Powell later Wednesday on his way back to the U.S.
The talks ended after more than two hours, with Arafat's Saeb Arafat telling reporters after Powell's departure that Israeli PM Ariel Sharon had "topedoed" the secretary's mission. CNN correspondent Andrea Koppel, outside the meeting room, reported that Arafat was "trembling with fury" over the continuing Israeli control of areas formerly under Palestinian Authority control, and objecting to the fact that he was unable to leave his compound. He was also reportedly furious about the Israeli siege around the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.
"They are continuing their aggression against the Palestinian people," Arafat said in a darkened hallway of his besieged headquarters after Powell left. "I have to ask the Bush administration, the international community, is this acceptable that I cannot go out the door," he said, his voice rising, referring to Israel's continuing isolation of the Palestinian leader "Who can accept this?" Arafat asked. "They are returning back," referring to Israel's latest incursions into several Palestinian areas. Nevertheless, Arafat characterized his talks with Powell as "warm and important," and he thanked the secretary for his continuing efforts.
In a press conference in Jerusalem after the meeting, Powell expressed "disappointment" with Arafat's performance with respect to stopping terrorism. Although he applauded Arafat's condemnation of terrorism, he stressed that "talk is not enough." He expressed satisfaction at having received a timetable from Sharon concerning the planned Israeli pullout from additional Palestinian cities. He said that it was not practical to achieve a ceasefire before completion of the Israeli operation. He criticized Israeli settlement policy and its "occupation" of Palestinian areas, citing what he called their "destructive impact" on the peace process. However, he insisted that the issue of settlements and borders was a subject for negotiation between the parties.
A planned meeting between President Hosni Mubarak and Powell was canceled by the Egyptians, although Powell said he would be meeting on his way back to the U.S. with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher.
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