U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell is waiting for a statement from Yasser Arafat denouncing a suicide bombing in Jerusalem before deciding whether to see the Palestinian leader.
They were supposed to meet on Saturday in Ramallah, where Israeli forces have Arafat cooped up in his headquarters. Powell called off the sessions, saying through his spokesman that "it is important that Chairman Arafat not miss this opportunity to take a clear stand against the violence that harms the Palestinian cause."
"In light of today's developments, the secretary will not be meeting with Chairman Arafat Saturday," spokesman Richard Boucher said about 10 hours before the talks had been set to be held in Ramallah.
However, he said Powell was not abandoning his critical Middle East peace mission and said the secretary could meet Arafat at a later date "if conditions permit." "We'll see," Boucher said.
According To AP, a senior State Department official said a meeting could be held on Sunday -- as a senior Palestinian official said late Friday -- but that no arrangements had yet been made.
The American move was clearly aimed at pressuring Arafat to make a statement in Arabic renouncing and rejecting “terrorism,” including Friday's bombing, a key demand the United States has repeatedly made to the Palestinian leader.
"The secretary condemns in the strongest possible terms today's terrorist attack and he expects Chairman Arafat to do so as well," Boucher said of the blast that killed the female bomber and six other people and jolted Powell's peace bid.
"It is important that Chairman Arafat not miss this opportunity to take a clear stance against the violence that harms the Palestinians' cause," he said.
Although stern in his demands on Arafat, Boucher said Powell was also deeply concerned about the plight of the Palestinians, particularly in West Bank towns where Israel military operations continue, despite some withdrawals.
"There has been too much suffering on both sides," he said, adding that instead of meeting Arafat on Saturday, Powell would be seeing officials from the International Committee of the Red Cross and UN relief workers.
The secretary would discuss with them "the severe humanitarian problems in Palestinian areas, particularly in Jenin, and to express our deep concern," Boucher said. "He will continue to raise our concerns on these issues with the Israeli government."
Meanwhile, Gaza Strip preventive security chief Mohammad Dahlan said the suicide attack in Jerusalem was "the result of the massacres perpetrated by (Israeli Prime Minister Ariel) Sharon" in the West Bank.
"It is the result of the resentment Ariel Sharon caused with the massacres and crimes perpetrated against the Palestinian people in Jenin, Nablus and elsewhere" in the West Bank, Dahlan told AFP.
The Israeli authorities need to "find another culprit than the Palestinian Authority, whose institutions have been destroyed by the Israeli occupation forces which also encircle its president Yasser Arafat," he added.
Dahlan said Palestinian security forces had submitted evidence to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat showing the "war crimes committed by Sharon and (Israeli army chief of staff General Shaul) Mofaz against the Palestinian nation." (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
