Publicly the Palestinian Authority has accepted the Middle East peace roadmap offered by the U.S., Russia, the European Union and the United Nations, but quietly negotiators are splitting hairs over definitions of terms, WorldNetDaily has found.
In the Palestine Liberation Organization’s “Roadmap Status Report,” the group makes clear it will not act against terror until it is permitted to rebuild its security force and until it receives clarification on the definition of the term “incitement.”
The document clearly states the PA is prepared to comply with the requirement to “undertake visible efforts on the ground to arrest, disrupt and restrain individuals and groups conducting and planning violent attacks on Israelis everywhere” only when its “security apparatuses are allowed to be rebuilt.”
As to the roadmap requirement that “all official Palestinian institutions end incitement against Israel,” the PLO negotiators say they are “awaiting definition of incitement.”
While Israel is being criticized for not accepting the “roadmap” without conditions, the Palestinian Authority has been praised by diplomats and pundits internationally for accepting it. However, it is clear from the PLO statement that the Yasser Arafat-Abu Mazen regime has its own set of preconditions for acceptance of the plan.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, planning a meeting later this week with Palestinian Prime Minister Mazen, also known as Mahmoud Abbas, says he will never make compromises that affect Israel’s security. President Bush has ruled out dealing with Arafat, branding him as a failed leader entwined with terror attacks on Israel. Arafat was not at the table when Powell met with Mazen.
“To start the process there must be an end to terror, and steps must be taken to end terror,” Sharon told the Jerusalem Post today. “We made it very clear that when it comes to political solutions we are ready to make painful compromises, but when it comes to security there will not be any compromises, not now and not in the future. Therefore, in order to move forward, it should be quiet, it should be calm.”
Sharon is also set to meet with President Bush next week in Washington, at which time the meeting agenda will range over the broad strategic future of the Middle East.
“It will be very interesting and important, particularly after the victory in Iraq,” Sharon said.
Palestinian officials accuse Israel of delaying talks on implementing the “roadmap” the last 10 days.
Palestinian Foreign Affairs Minister Nabil Shaath said today Sharon delayed talks on the plan until his May 20 meeting with Bush. The delay, Shaath said, “means another 10 days of suffering for the Palestinians.”
Shaath reiterated a call for Israel to submit a formal response to the “road map.” Sharon has said he wants some modifications to the plan before giving his final response. The Palestinians say they accepted the plan, but their official response shows clear reservations.
The “roadmap” is a plan devised by the United States, Russia, the United Nations and the European Union that calls for the setting up of an independent Palestinian state by 2005, and establishing peace and security for Israel.
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