Prospect of Bush win relieves many Arab states
Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Thursday, November 9, 2000
CAIRO — The prospect of a victory by George W. Bush in the race for
United States president has pleased many Arab states but has worried Israel.
Arab diplomatic sources said Bush will return to a more hard-headed
approach to the Middle East that emphasizes U.S. interests and the need to
sell to Gulf oil states. The sources said this would result in a policy that
diminishes Israeli influence.
"There is a sense of relief although no [Arab] leader will say that
openly," an Arab diplomatic source said.
Diplomats and analysts said Bush's Middle East policy will be reinforced
by a Republican-controlled Congress that opposes U.S. military intervention
around the world. The exception, they said, is Iraq. They pointed to the
support by the Republican-controlled Congress for the opposition to
President Saddam Hussein.
Bush appears to be the victor in U.S. presidential elections. But final
results will not be known for at least another day.
Arab leaders as well as officials newspapers and electronic media have
refrained from commenting on the meaning of Bush's victory. But Arab
diplomatic sources cited Bush's long relationship with Gulf Arabs during his
career in the oil business.
The news of a Bush victory was relayed to Prime Minister Ehud Barak as
he met senior ministers during a security session on Wednesday. Several
ministers expressed concern that Bush's election will scuttle plans for
massive military and civilian aid to Israel in any Middle East peace accord.
"They [Bush administration] will not necessarily be hostile to Israel,"
former Israeli Foreign Ministry director-general Shlomo Avineri said. "But
there will not be warmth or understanding."
Israeli Defense sources said they were concerned that Bush would also
limit Israeli weapons sales to such countries as China. Officials have urged
Barak to revive the suspended sale of the Phalcon airborne early-warning
alert system to Beijing after the presidential race.
In contrast, Bush is said to favor India and could allow Israel to sell
the Phalcon system to New Dehli, the sources said.
In Gaza, Palestinian Authority officials said Bush's election will
provide them with a window of opportunity to declare a Palestinian state
over the next few months. They said Bush will prove easier to deal with than
President Bill Clinton.
In Teheran, Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi called for what he termed a
radical change in U.S. policy under Bush. "The time has come for Americans
to revise their policies," Kharazi said.
Thursday, November 9, 2000
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