Israel said it was ready to make peace following US President George Bush’s Middle East policy speech on Monday, but only once the Palestinians stamp out ”terrorism” and start reforming their
leadership.
”Israel is a country in love with peace. When the Palestinians have eradicated terrorism and have proceeded to democratic reforms, it will be possible to progress to a political solution,” Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s office said in a statement.
The hardline leader’s office issued the statement following the speech in which Bush implicitly demanded the ouster of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
Bush did not specifically mention Arafat but made clear that offers of massive aid and support in the Palestinian quest for a sovereign state would depend on major reform, including changes in leadership.
Several Israeli ministers also expressed satisfaction with the address, in which the US leader also said Israel should eventually move to withdraw troops to positions prior to the start of the intifada, or uprising, that began in September 2000, and stop
building settlements in the occupied territories.
”This speech marks the end of the era of Yasser Arafat, and constitutes a victory for Israel,” minister without portfolio Danny Naveh, from Sharon’s right-wing Likud party, told public radio.
”The rules of the game have changed for the Palestinians. (Bush) called for a change in the leadership, since Yasser Arafat was presented as a man who supports terrorism,” another minister
without portfolio, Tsippi Livni, told public television.
The council which oversees the Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip also expressed satisfaction with the speech, saying that Bush had ”ordered the explusion of Yasser Arafat and the eradication of terrorism”.
But the leader of Israel’s left-wing main opposition Meretz party, Yossi Sarid, was less enthusiastic, saying the Bush speech was ”more of a vision than a plan”. – Sapa-AFP