Prime Minister Ariel Sharon arrived in Washington on Monday
to meet with US leaders and present his vision of a plan to
reach stability in Israel's conflict with the Palestinians.
Sharon and other Israeli officials brought along extensive
documentation showing PA leader Yasser Arafat's extensive
involvement with terror. They also brought along evidence
they seized in Operation Defensive Shield that shows Saudi
Arabian payments to families of terrorist criminals.
Israeli intelligence assessments say that Operation Defensive
Shield dealt a strong blow to the terrorist infrastructure
and had an additional emotional impact as many young
Palestinians saw a counterblow to their terrorism for the
first time. Many Palestinians believed that the momentum was
on their side after the Israeli retreat from Lebanon and its
apparent inability to do anything against Palestinian
terrorism. The Israeli military incursion refuted that
perception.
Israel has recently suggested that Arafat may not be able,
for political or even psychological reasons, to make peace. A
violent terrorist his whole adult life, most Israeli
observers believe by now that it is clear that he has not
abandoned the use of violence and terror to achieve his
goals. Though the terror infrastructure of the PA in the West
Bank was severely crippled in Operation Defensive Shield, the
policy of terror is still in operation, as seen from the
regular arrests Israel makes of suicide bombers and their
commanders. (On Tuesday as we go to press, Israel forces are
in Tulkarm to try to stop a suicide bomber they had
information about.)
Few, if any, important people have any personal commitment
to Arafat -- on many occasions US President Bush has
expressed his distaste for him -- but virtually no one is
willing to abandon him until or unless they see an
alternative. Up to now Arafat is the only figure in the
Palestinian community who is seen as having the stature to
make any sort of agreement.
It is up to the Israeli prime minister to outline a proposal
that shows a path to stability that bypasses Arafat. He has
indicated that he will do so, but has publicized none of the
details so far.
On Monday, President Bush, speaking at an elementary school
in Michigan, reiterated his call to Arafat to lead his people
and show that he is committed to a peaceful resolution of the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He noted that he is seriously
disappointed in what Arafat has done so far.
Secretary of State Colin Powell outlined the US
administration's "integrated" vision of how to proceed in the
Middle East.
The Israeli Prime Minister seems to have an ally in National
Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice, who said that the "current
direction of the Palestinians" under Arafat's leadership does
not allow for the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Secretary of State Colin Powell said that it is "clear to the
Administration that something has to be done" with the
settlements in Judea and Samaria, and that this matter will
be raised with Prime Minister Sharon.
Powell first outlined three goals in a sequential approach:
ensuring security for Israelis and Palestinians, providing
humanitarian assistance for the Palestinians, starting
expedited peace negotiations. He then said the three goals
needed to be "integrated," a seemingly deliberate
construction designed to please both Israelis and Arabs.
Israel wants security guaranteed before it begins peace
talks, while Arab leaders are pushing for talks on all issues
together.
Powell said all three ideas would be brought together during
a multilateral meeting scheduled tentatively for this summer.
US officials are deliberately not calling the meeting a
conference or summit to keep expectations low.
Powell, who also met with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud
at the State Department, said the Saudi land-for-
normalization initiative, endorsed by the Arab League, will
play "an important role" as the US moves forward with its
diplomatic effort.
Powell also met with Sharon in preparatory talks and with
King Abdullah II of Jordan. Abdullah chatted for an hour with
15 Jewish American officials at his hotel. That meeting
followed a similar meeting with Arab American leaders.
Abdullah called for cooperation among all the advocates of
peace, both Jewish and Arab, and expressed a revulsion for
Islamic extremism, according to one participant in the
meeting.
Sharon was accompanied by Israeli Education Minister Limor
Livnat who brought documentation about the damage done to
dozens of children murdered in terrorist attacks and to the
hundreds wounded. She noted that her responsibilities as
Education Minister to visit bereaved families and classrooms
are not paralleled in any other country in the world.
In Israel, the standoff in Bethlehem between Palestinian
terrorists who invaded a major Christian church there, in
violation of all rules of war and human decency, and the
Israeli army which has demanded that the gunmen surrender for
trial for their crimes, seems to be ending. According to
reports, 13 terrorists will be exiled to Italy, 26 others
will be sent to Gaza, and the rest are to go free. One of the
last sticking points is that Italy has not yet agreed to take
the terrorists.
