Israel fears isolation
by new U.S. coalition
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SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Wednesday, September 26, 2001
JERUSALEM Ñ Israel fears that it will be the victim of a U.S.-led
coalition against terrorism.
Officials said they are concerned that Israel's will be increasingly
isolated as both the United States and European Union distance themselves
from the Jewish state in an attempt to woo Arab and Islamic support for a
coalition.
They have also raised scenarios that Washington and the EU will
sell weapons to Arab states and Iran and pressure Israel to make concessions
to the Palestinians.
"When this campaign against Bin Laden is over, Iran will continue its
support for terrorism, but with a kosher certificate from the United
States," Israeli Transportation Minister Ephraim Sneh said.
Israel's Foreign Ministry has been monitoring what officials termed as
the increasingly antagonistic statements coming from their counterparts in
London and Washington. They said both U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell
and British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw have privately accused Israel for
Arab
and Islamic opposition to a coalition against Saudi billionaire fugitive
Osama Bin Laden.
Israeli officials were furious over remarks attributed by Straw in
Teheran that appeared to blame Israel for Bin Laden attacks. At one point,
Sharon threatened to boycott Straw's subsequent visit to Israel.
Sharon, who succumbed to an appeal from British Prime Minister Tony
Blair and met Straw, is said to be perturbed by Washington's battle against
terrorism. Aides said the prime minister cited President George Bush's
executive order that froze the assets of 27 terrorist organizations. The
organizations did not contain any Palestinian or Lebanese groups.
"There is no difference between terrorism and terrorism, and murder
is murder," Sharon said. "There are no terrorists who are good guys and
every act of terror is horrific."
Diplomatic sources in Washington agree that the Israeli government of
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is coming under increasing pressure. They said
the administration has quietly linked an Arab coalition to Israeli gestures
toward the Palestinians.
"Most people I know in the administration do not believe that Sharon is
willing to contemplate a negotiated settlement on any terms but those that
the Palestinians would consider total submission and surrender," former U.S.
Assistant Secretary of State Edward Walker told the House International
Relations subcommittee on the Middle East on Tuesday. "In the absence of
U.S. resolution, we will lose the support of Arab states in the region as
violence in the occupied territories escalates and local populations react
and pressure their governments. And with that loss, we will lose our fight
against terrorism. The choices, in my view are that stark."
Both Powell and Straw have urged Israel to agree to a summit with the
Palestinian Authority. Powell telephoned both Israel's Foreign Minister
Shimon Peres and PA Chairman Yasser Arafat twice each on Tuesday.
Israeli officials have acknowledged heavy U.S. pressure and the result
is that Peres is scheduled to meet Arafat on Wednesday. Peres said another
two meetings with Arafat are planned over the next month.
"We hope that a meeting can take place immediately," U.S. ambassador to
Israel Daniel Kurtzer said.
Earlier, Arafat returned to Gaza after a meeting planned with Syrian
President Bashar Assad in Damascus was called off at the last minute. Both
men blamed the other for the cancellation. Diplomatic sources said the
United States pressured both Arafat and Assad to cancel the meeting.
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