Bill's Comment Page

ISRAELI/PALESTINIAN CONFLICT

Some have tried to say over the past few days that US President Bush was not really asking the Israeli authorities to withdraw at once from the Palestinian territories they have been making incursions into these past couple of weeks. Israeli government spokespeople have said that what he really meant was that they should “clear out” the terrorists, which would take them three or so weeks, and then leave.

One blogger, Andrew Sullivan, said that his reading of Bush’s Rose Garden speech (see below) Thursday 4th April was not a ‘defeat’ for Bush and his fight against terrorism, because he (Bush) had not given a specific timetable for Israel to withdraw. Frankly, no-one but a few people like Sullivan had ever thought what Bush said could in ANY way be called a defeat; rather it was a strengthening of the US policy on combating terrorism, by the most measured and effective means, not necessarily those which would provide the maximum immediate increase in Bush’s popularity – instead he is acting, I think, like a statesman. I agree with Sullivan on many things, but his views on the Middle East are a major exception.

What Mr Bush actually said in the Rose Garden speech 4th April included the following:
“I call on the Palestinian Authority and all governments in the region to do everything in their power to stop terrorist activities, to disrupt terrorist financing, and to stop inciting violence by glorifying terror in state-owned media, or telling suicide bombers they are martyrs. They're not martyrs. They're murderers. And they undermine the cause of the Palestinian people.”
and
“America recognizes Israel's right to defend itself from terror. Yet, to lay the foundations of future peace, I ask Israel to halt incursions into Palestinian-controlled areas and begin the withdrawal from those cities it has recently occupied.

I speak as a committed friend of Israel. I speak out of a concern for its long-term security, a security that will come with a genuine peace.”
You can read the full text here.

It seems pretty clear to me what the President’s intent was, but to reiterate the US administration’s view, both Secretary of State Powell and the President himself have made even clearer what they wish to see happen; for example in a joint press conference with UK Prime Minister Tony Blair in Texas on 6th April, Mr Bush said:
“My administration's -- my words to Israel are the same today as they were a couple of days ago: withdraw without delay. I made the decision to give the speech when I did because I was concerned about the ability for those of us who were interested in a long-term solution to take hold. I was worried about the balance being tipped to the point where we weren't able to achieve a long-lasting peace.

I gave the speech at the right time. And I expect Israel to heed my advice, and I expect for the Palestinians to reject terror in the Arab world. As Israel steps back, we expect the Arab world to step up and lead -- to lead against terror, to get into an immediate cease-fire, begin the implementation of U.N. resolution 1042."
You can read the full text here.

All this seems pretty clear to me – President Bush is giving tough warnings both to Ariel Sharon and to Yasser Arafat.

By the way, I watched former Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on TV this morning (BBC1 ‘Breakfast with Frost’) and he gave his usual masterly performance, but he signally failed to respond to Frost’s repeated questioning on how long he thought Israel can continue to ignore Bush’s warnings; I don’t care for Netanyahu (I remember his daily performances on CNN during the Gulf War), but he does speak a lot of sense, although he does try and side-track the discussion into channels of his choosing – fair enough, he is a skilled negotiator with strong beliefs, but he does need a wily interviewer to keep him on track, and Frost is not that man, whatever his other undoubted qualities.

I hope both Sharon and Arafat will heed Bush’s words without delay.