Also from the story:
The Palestinian leadership and President Arafat hope that the details will be discussed during the direct and bilateral meetings with the American administration" and international mediators, the statement said.
Israeli Communications Minister Reuven Rivlin said Israel was pleased with the speech but rejected the concept of a provisional Palestinian state. He said Bush expressed a "vision of bringing the Palestinian people to democracy and reform, and then to negotiate."
Rivlin, a close ally of Sharon, said that according to the Bush formula, the first steps are up to the Palestinians to reform their administration and "get rid of all those terrorists who live there."
Though the Palestinians insisted the choice of leadership is their own to make and not up to the United States, Palestinian officials took heart in Bush's saying that ending Israeli occupation is the only way to achieve peace.
"It is the first time that an American administration recognized that the only solution for this conflict is to end the occupation and to have a state to live in peace beside Israel – this is a historic change in the American stance," said Palestinian Cabinet Secretary Ahmed Abdel Rahman.
In his speech, Bush demanded Israel withdraw to positions it held on the West Bank two years ago and to stop building homes for Jews on the West Bank and in Gaza. Ultimately, he said, Israel should agree to pull all the way back to the lines it held before the 1967 Mideast war.
Erekat said the situation today is at its lowest point. "What we need is a real specified road map that will define the endgame of the peace process, that is ending the Israeli occupation," he said.
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I think this part of the text is interesting, with Bush's speech and the Palistinians statements, that I know of thus far... It appears that Bush finally has them completely outmanuevered and here are my reasons why.
1: If palestine does not accept this proposal and they continue to attack Israel will be able to wipe them off the face of the planet.
2: If Palestine does accept this proposal, they will have to continue to walk the same path or be destroyed by Israel.
a)When the US's war in the middle east starts this proposal will tie the hands of the palestinians from reacting in a violent manner towards Israel or face destruction by Israel.
There are many terrorist organizations working in the territories that Palestinians occupy, Some from Syria and Lebanon, and perhaps some others... So no matter what happens there will not be peace.... Chances are the Palestinians are now toast..
Ben