[size=4]Bush Calls on Israel to Stop Incursions[/size=4]
April 04, 2002 11:13 AM ET  

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush on Thursday called on Israel to halt incursions into Palestinian-controlled areas as he began shifting U.S. policy to increase pressure on the Israelis to do its part to stop Middle East violence.

Bush, in a White House Rose Garden speech that followed a barrage of international criticism at the U.S. role, also said Syria and Iran must "stay out" of the Middle East conflict to avoid widening it.

And he called on the Palestinians to stop suicide bombings, saying "suicide bombing missions could well blow up the best and only hope for a Palestinian state."

Bush repeated Israel's right to defend itself but added, [b]"Yet, to lay the foundations of future peace, I ask Israel to halt incursions into Palestinian-controlled areas, and begin the withdrawal from those cities it has recently occupied."[/b]

U.S. sources said he would also announce he was sending Secretary of State Colin Powell to the Middle East to try to end a surge in Israeli-Palestinian violence.

See article at:[url]http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=topnews&StoryID=775623[/url]

Eric The(WhatThe...?)Hun[>]:)]

I think he has inside news from Israel that they were "just about finished" or so... I don't think he "blinked".


Tyler

I hope this is part of a larger diplomatic plan...
(I sure don't look like it, though)

Claiming to favor a Palestinian state gives us the opportunity to pull that off the table, later.  Smart bargaining.

Most likely.

God I hope you boys are right!

I just want those POSs hosed out of the Church of the Nativity by the end of the day.

And then the place fumigated.

Eric The(AndIMean'Water'Hosed)Hun[>]:)]

How many suicide bombings have there been since shitzsreal started their "incursions into shitstinian-controlled areas".....? I dont think any....so why would they stop?

Nuke em all.

concur

Bush told Sharon he would provide cover for a while - time not stipulated.

I think President Bush is walking a very fine line to keep this thing from turning "upside down" and becoming a full-fledged Israel vs. Arab nations war.  We could always withdraw as a mediator and let the European Union handle it.  Or the UN.  (Yea, right.)

Actually Shimon Peres said something to the effect that it would last 3-4 weeks, so I don't think it was about to come to an end - especially if reports of them finding bomb making material all over are true.  I think the fact that the Israelis are blocking out the EU, UN, Media, not to mention the fact that the Pope just condemned the Israeli action is all starting to put too much pressure on him to just sit on his ass.

Israel has just given 'PERMISSION' for the U.S. negoiator, General Zini(sp?) to see Arafat.

5 Billion U.S. Taxpayer dollars per year and POTUS must ask Israeli permission.

Colin Powell headed for the region.

Sharon just ran out of time.

'Sharon' just ran out of time?

Was it Sharon dying on a daily basis in the streets of Israeli cities?

Nope.

Eric The(Patient,YouShallSeeMuchMore)Hun[>]:)]

[size=4]Yayyy! Sharon says 'Va fa' to Bush![/size=4]

[size=4]Sharon Allows Meeting With Arafat[/size=4]
Thu Apr 4,12:46 PM ET

JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon agreed Thursday to permit a U.S. envoy to meet with besieged Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, Sharon's office announced.
 
Earlier this week, Sharon had turned down a request by Secretary of State Colin Powell to grant permission to U.S. mediator Anthony Zinni to meet with Arafat. Sharon has been determined to keep the Palestinian leader isolated at his headquarters in the West Bank town of Ramallah.

Sharon changed his mind after meeting with Zinni on Thursday.

[size=3]However, Sharon also said that Israel's weeklong military offensive against Palestinian militias would continue, despite a call by President Bush on Israel to pull out of Palestinian territory.[/size=3]

See article at:[url]http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&ncid=514&e=2&u=/ap/20020404/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_us_3[/url]

Eric The(IMayBeGoneForAFewDays!)Hun[>]:)]

I told ya so!

It damn well better. As long as no suicide bomber can get passed the checkpoints, they SHOULD keep it up.

Does Bush realise how much of a hypocrit he is makeing of himself?  What happened to "you are either with us or against us" and "the world must fight terrorism"?

Do ya'll suppose that good old Gen. Colin Powell will be as successful in getting Arafat to cease hostilities as he was in getting Bush, Sr. to call 'em off? IMHO he is to blame for an awful lot of our Arab troubles. In fact, does anybody know if he attends a mosque?

Now there is a bigoted statement. Interesting too, you always seem to be the one to come the rescue of the oppressed around here.

The Palestinians aren't oppressed, they're being treated the way they deserve to be treated based on their actions.

  Now there is a bigoted statement

Why do some folks always associate high pressure water hoses with bigotry?

Not everyone just Americans of certain age.

Think it was all that film footage from Birmingham...

...good point. Still kinder and gentler than the chains and whips the revisionists accuse us of, don't you think?[:D]

I concur completely... Bush looks like a toad on this.  His tough talk is just garbage... Just like Klinton, he stuck his finger in the air to see which way the wind was blowing.

If Bush had any stones he'd supply Israel the tools necessary to do what we don't have the balls or guts to do... turn the entire region into a parking lot...

edited to add:  Gee, I wonder how cheap oil would be then...

Yes, the Hun should be more sensitive to those peaceful, caring souls who shot their way into the Church of the Nativity, and then took nuns hostage.  They had no choice (they couldn't find an orphanage to shoot up).