Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat said Wednesday the peace process would be dead if the United States gives Israel assurances it can keep some key West Bank settlement blocs and would not have to absorb Palestinian refugees. In a statement issued by Arafat's office at the end of a meeting with Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia, the Palestinian leader expressed concern about what assurances President Bush might give Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in meetings later Wednesday.
| Maybe Yasser should have thought about that a couple years ago, when he was getting himself on the international poop list... |
Sharon was hoping to secure Bush's endorsement for his plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and four West Bank settlements. In return, he wanted U.S. assurances that Israel can retain large blocs of West Bank settlements and that Palestinian refugees will not be allowed to return to land inside Israel as part of any negotiated agreement. "The Palestinian leadership warns of the dangers of reaching such an accord, because it means clearly the complete end of the peace process," the statement said.
| And just look at how successful it's been to date... |
The statement, issued by Arafat's office on behalf of the entire Palestinian leadership, said such assurances would pre-empt future negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. The U.S. assurances would lead to a "cycle of violence and end all the signed agreements" between the Palestinians and Israel, the statement said. |