Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon flew out of Europe on Friday after his bid to explain Israel's hardline policy on the Palestinian uprising found little sympathy among its leaders, reported AFP.
Sharon had hoped to isolate diplomatically Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and win support for his hawkish stance on combating the nine-month old insurrection, but instead found himself urged to rein in his forces, said the agency.
France's President Jacques Chirac warned Sharon not to try and "weaken" Arafat, and Germany's Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder reaffirmed Europe's support for the recommendations of the Mitchell report.
The report, drawn up by former US senator George Mitchell, calls for an immediate ceasefire between Palestinian and Israeli forces and a freeze on the building of Jewish settlements on occupied Palestinian territory.
Sharon met with French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin on Friday as the last stop on a two-day trip to Paris and Berlin.
"I presented clearly Israel's positions. It is obvious that we are not in agreement on every point, we cannot be in agreement on every point, but there was an understanding between us," Sharon said after the meeting.
Officials from Jospin's office told AFP that the French leader had expressed French concerns that Sharon's stubborn refusal to end attacks on Palestinian targets was damaging chances of re-starting the peace process.
Sharon was unrepentant after Chirac's rebuff, again calling for European pressure on Arafat, saying he must be isolated "since Israel will not negotiate under the violence and terrorism that he refuses to end."
Israel is under particular pressure over its policy of "active defense", the assassination of Palestinian militants, a tactic which UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Thursday branded an illegal breach of human rights.
Sharon said he had explained to Chirac that the policy, which was reaffirmed by the Israeli cabinet on Wednesday, was designed to "intercept terrorists preparing attacks" and said he had "given concrete examples.”
Prior to his meeting with Jospin, he met with members of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France (CRIF) and delivered a firm defense of his policy, according to the agency.
"Our actions are not aimed at pleasing anyone but at defending the interests and security of Israel and its citizens," Sharon told some 400 representatives of the Jewish community in France.
Before leaving Paris, the Israeli leader said: "I have the feeling that after my meetings with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and President Chirac we understand our (respective) positions better."
Sharon invited Chirac to visit Israel and said they had agreed to "set up a direct link through regular talks."
Following his meeting with Jospin Sharon left Paris to fly back to Israel.
According to Haaretz, Sharon felt the diplomatic squeeze already on the first leg of his two-day trip when German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder told him that the Mitchell report had to be immediately implemented.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Sharon in Berlin, Schroeder said that "this is the hour to start with the implementation of the first stage of the (Mitchell) plan."
Sharon has insisted - with U.S. backing - that a seven-day violence-free period has to precede a cooling-off period, which is to last six weeks. Only then are the sides required to begin implementing a series of confidence-building measures included in the Mitchell report, including a settlement freeze.
The paper said that Schroeder called on Sharon to adopt a moderate approach to the issue of settlements. While the Mitchell report calls for an absolute settlement freeze, Sharon has expressed willingness so far to a halt construction outside of the built-up areas in the settlements.
At the press conference, Sharon reiterated his position that “terror, violence and incitement would have to end completely before the implementation of the Mitchell report could begin.” Talking to reporters on the plane on his way to Berlin, the prime minister said there had not been "one single day of quiet" in the West Bank and Gaza since the Intifada erupted in September last year.
Sharon also denied press reports Thursday that he planned to order a wide-scale military strike against the Palestinian Authority in an effort to topple the regime of Yasser Arafat. "We don’t involve ourselves in the question of who stands at the head of another authority," he said.
Ha’aretz diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn writes Thursday that Sharon plans to urge European leaders to pressure Arafat into accepting the cease-fire and to ask them to adopt a more balanced policy regarding the Middle East crisis. "Sharon will tell the Europeans they share an interest with Israel in trying to bring stability to the Middle East," writes Benn, "and the only way to achieve that stability is to pressure Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat into putting an end to the violence."
In Israel, continued Haaretz, far-right ministers turned up the heat on Sharon, announcing that they would boycott cabinet meetings until the government abandoned its policy of 'restraint' towards the Palestinians. National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu ministers Rehavam Zee'vi (Tourism) and Avigdor Lieberman (National Infrastructures), who have been increasingly critical of Sharon’s unwillingness, so far, to unleash a major military strike against Arafat and the PA, announced Thursday they would boycott cabinet meetings. Ze’evi said, however, that his party was not leaving the government yet.
In his election campaign, Ze’evi said, "the prime minister promised security for Jews in the Land of Israel. If we don’t provide that, then we have no choice but to protest against the prime minister, even if he is one of us."
Ze’evi and Lieberman informed Sharon on Wednesday already that they intended to boycott government meetings because of the refusal to discuss their proposals, including an end to the policy of restraint and breaking off all negotiations with the Palestinian Authority.
Labor members sounded delighted by the news, with sources in the party saying that the absence of Ze’evi and Lieberman only served to strengthen the position of Foreign Minister Shimon Peres in the government, and his relationship with Sharon. "From our point of view, the sooner Lieberman and Gandhi [Ze’evi] go home, the better," one Labor source said.
On the Palestinian side, the PA has drafted a plan aimed at “safeguarding the peace process,” according to Al Jazeera satellite channel, citing a statement.
The initiative, which was endorsed in a Ramallah meeting Thursday is based on three points.
First, Israel and the Palestinians announce immediately their commitment to implementing Mitchell recommendations.
Second, both sides announce an immediate ceasefire and a halt to all forms of aggression according to Tenet understandings.
Third, international observers should be appointed by the US, the EU, the UN and the Arab follow-up committee to supervise the implementation of the Mitchell and Tenet plans according to a time schedule, including the complete lifting of the Israeli siege on the Palestinian lands – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
