Following Colin Powell’s visit to the area, the Palestinian Authority is currently making contacts with members of the international ‘Quartet’, urging them to press Israel to implement the ‘roadmap’, the Palestinian chief negotiator, Saeb Erakat, said. Avoiding describing Powell’s visit as ‘a failure’, Erakat reiterated that the PA would not accept an Israeli tailored roadmap.
In an interview with Al Bawaba from his office in Jericho, Erakat said Monday “the US secretary of state Colin Powell reiterated the American stance and promise - to put an end to occupation and settlements in the Palestinian areas and to establish an independent Palestinian state.” The Palestinian minister went on to add, “but Mr. Powell has not conveyed to us an Israeli response to the roadmap, which means that Israel has not accepted it and consequently the plan cannot be implemented.”
Responding to a question about whether Powell’s visit to the [PA] territories and Israel was a failure or not, Erakat said, “I do not want to describe the visit [at all] as its objectives have not been really defined…we told the American administration that if the peace process is to be resumed, the roadmap has to be accepted and timetables and mechanisms for implementing it have to be set, along with the deployment of international observers…if we wait for Sharon to join us for peace, he will never come.”
“With Powell still in the area, Israeli tanks made incursions into the Palestinian City of Rafah killing three people. These forces have also imposed a siege on the Gaza Strip and a curfew on the [Palestinian] refugee camps of Jalazon, Tulkarem and Nour Shams in addition to the city of Qalqilia. They have also bombed civilians in Khan Younis and Jenin,” added Erakat.
Amid the Israeli refusal to accept the ‘roadmap’, which has been endorsed by the international community, and Israel’s insistence on making amendments to it, Palestinian sources told Al Bawaba that the PA is concerned that an ‘Israeli tailored roadmap’ with US support might be imposed on Palestinians. Despite Powell’s reassurances that no amendments will be made to the plan, the sources added, “he [Powell] hinted at the need to consider some of the Israeli reservations.”
However, Erekat went on to say, “There is a roadmap endorsed by the ‘Quartet’ (US, EU, Russia and UN), which we have accepted. The plan is therefore not up for negotiation but rather for implementation, and the credibility of the ‘Quartet’ - including the US, is now at stake.”
As far as the next step is concerned, Erakat said, “The PA is in direct contact with the ‘Quartet’ countries, especially the American administration, to urge them to implement the plan and force Israel to accept it.
On Sunday, Powell concluded a round of talks with the Israelis and Palestinians without giving any indication about the progress made vis-à-vis the roadmap. Meanwhile, Israel announced that that the Palestinian Prime Minister, Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) and his Israeli counterpart, Ariel Sharon, would meet over the weekend prior to Sharon’s departure to Washington on an official visit to the US. (Albawaba.com)
