 |
 |
 |
|
|
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and U.S. President George W. Bush at their press conference in Washington.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| By israelinsider staff April 14, 2004 |
|
| |
U.S. President George W. Bush said today that any future peace accord between Israel and the Palestinians must take into account changing realities, including Israeli population centers (settlements). Bush also said that the problem of Palestinian refugees can only be solved by their "return" to a Palestinian state, and not to Israel. Bush's statements may help Prime Minister Ariel Sharon get Likud approval for his disengagement plan.
At a press conference in Washington following his two-hour meeting with Sharon, Bush praised the prime minister's plan for a unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip as 'courageous,' and "which could lead to a peaceful, democratic, viable Palestinian state."
"It seems clear that an agreed, just, fair and realistic framework for a solution to the Palestinian refugee issue as part of any final status agreement will need to be found through the establishment of a Palestinian state and the settling of Palestinian refugees there, rather than Israel," Bush said.
Bush said if the Palestinians wanted to establish their own state, they would have to elect a leadership willing to make reforms and fight terror. "The Palestinian people must insist on change. We will help, but the major part of the work is theirs," Bush said.
Bush commended Sharon for his courageous decision to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank and "called on the Palestinians and the Arab neighbors to match that boldness."
Sharon hoped for "historic" U.S. commitments
Earlier, Sharon hoped to come out of his meeting with Bush with "historic" U.S. commitments that would guarantee approval of his disengagement plan by Likud Party members in their referendum on May 2.
So far, the Americans have indicated that the president's message would be vague enough so as not to upset their allies in the Arab world and Europe. Jordan's King Abdullah and European leaders have cautioned the U.S. against promising too much to Israel at the Washington summit between Bush and Sharon.
But according to a New York Times report today, Bush administration officials said that the president's statement would recognize Israel's right to retain some settlements in the West Bank as part of any future peace accord with the Palestinians. Administration officials also said Bush would state that Palestinian refugees should live in the future Palestinian state, envisioned by the president as coexisting alongside Israel, and marking a clear rejection of the Palestinians' claim of a "right to return" to Israel proper.
Bush's statement would represent a "subtle, but substantial shift in American policy," the New York Times reported.
U.S. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice expressed her support for Sharon's disengagement plan at their meeting Tuesday night, media sources reported.
According to Israeli media reports Wednesday morning, talks between Israeli and American officials had yet to reach a clear agreement as to what Bush would say with regards to the two major issues - settlement blocs and Palestinian refugees - that if worded in Israel's favor, would apparently guarantee Likud Party approval of the plan in the May referendum.
Maariv reported that the prime minister's aides and administration officials had reached agreement on a clear U.S. statement saying there would be no other diplomatic initiatives other than the "road map" peace initiative, ruling out future American support for the Geneva Initiative.
The paper also said that agreement had been reached allowing for Israel to continue fighting terror in the Gaza Strip even after the withdrawal. In addition, a tacit agreement was obtained as to the inclusion of the city of Ariel and highway 443 from Modiin to Jerusalem on the Israeli side of the border, as long as the route takes Palestinian humanitarian needs into consideration, Maariv reported.
Meanwhile, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei (Abu Ala) told reporters today in Ramallah that the Palestinians have "genuine concerns" about reports that the United States is considering granting Israeli requests to recognize West Bank settlement blocs and to restrict the rights of Palestinian refugees.
"Any statement or language whose context does not coincide with the peace process or contradicts the road map ... will leave nothing for negotiations," Abu Ala said.
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
Click on the blue headline to read a Talkback comment and respond to it. Click on the  icon to send a private email to the talkback writer. The icon appears only if the writer has decided to be contacted. If no popup window appears, please make sure your popup blocker allows israelinsider.com.
|
|
| |
|
|
