World Tribune.com

Bush tires of peace efforts
in 'no-win' war

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Friday, July 6, 2001

WASHINGTON Ñ The Bush administration is expressing frustration over its failure to stop the Israeli-Palestinian war and is considering decreasing U.S. efforts.

Administration officials said President George Bush has been dismayed that Secretary of State Colin Powell and CIA George Tenet have failed in their missions to stop the war. They said they are considering ending their intensive efforts to mediate a ceasefire between the two sides.

"We are being criticized by all sides," an administration source said. "The Arabs say we are colluding with Israel and the Israelis say we are ignoring their position. It's a no-win situation."

The officials said implementation of the Mitchell commission recommendations have been stymied by the continuing Palestinian attacks and Israeli retaliation. They said their efforts have also been hampered by inaccurate claims by both Israeli and Palestinian security officials.

Officials said the administration wants to launch talks with Israel on a roadmap for implementation of the commission. A key demand is for the Israeli suspension of all construction in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Israel, however, is not being pressed to immediately implement the Mitchell commission recommendations, the officials said.

"I would say that we are still looking for them to exert further efforts," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said. "We are looking for maximum effort from the parties, looking for continued security cooperation from the parties, to really make the quiet take hold."

The New York Times reports that since Powell returned from his Middle East tour last month he has not been in touch with either Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon or Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat. Bush has also refused to maintain telephone contact with Israeli or Palestinian leaders.

On Thursday, a Palestinian was killed and an Israeli soldier was injured during a firefight near Ramallah. The battle began with Palestinian fire toward the nearby Jewish settlement of Psagot.

In another shooting, three Palestinians were injured in a drive-by ambush near Ramallah. Palestinian sources said the attackers were Israelis.

An Israeli police official said authorities suspect that the shooting was in revenge for Palestinian attacks on Jewish motorists in the West Bank. Palestinian gunners fired mortars and rocket-propelled grenades toward several areas of the Gaza Strip. This included the Katif bloc of settlements and Israeli military posts along the Egyptian border.

Sharon wraps up his European tour on Friday. Sharon met with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in Berlin and French President Jacques Chirac in Paris.

Friday, July 6, 2001



See current edition of

Subscribe to World Tribune.com's Daily Headline Alert
One-stop shopping for world news
Click Above To Subscribe

Return toWorld Tribune.com Front Cover
Your window on the world

Contact World Tribune.com at world@worldtribune.com