Prime Minister Ariel Sharon announced that he \"welcomes\" U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell\'s speech, and added what could be considered his own summary of the speech: \"The cessation of all \'terrorism, violence and incitement\' is a prior condition for any diplomatic progress.\" Sharon announced that the negotiating team he established will \"conduct negotiations toward achieving a cease-fire with Powell\'s special representatives, Assistant Secretary of State William Burns and [retired US Marine Corps] Gen. Anthony Zinni\" .
The Yesha Council and other nationalist groups were critical of Powell\'s call for an end to \"Israeli occupation,\" the cessation of settlement activity, and a PA state. Others noted that Powell placed these in the framework of the Mitchell Report, which Israel has noted requires a total cessation of violence before its implementation.
Media analayst Michael Widlanski notes that the official PA media \"virtually ignored all elements in [Powell\'s speech] that were critical of the Palestinian Authority.\" Voice of Palestine last night noted pro-PA aspects of Powell\'s speech, but ignored others. For instance, Widlanski reports, PA listeners were not informed that \"Powell insisted that the terms for ending occupation - the details of boundaries and timetables - had to be worked out in mutual agreement as part of negotiations between the Palestinians and Israel.\"
Widlansky also noted that PA minister Nabil Sha\'ath and Oslo-architect Yossi Beilin were disappointed by the speech. Contrary to their predictions, Powell\'s speech did not back the stationing of international observers in Judea and Samaria, nor did it void the 7-day period of no hostility demanded by Israel before talks could open.
Arutz-7\'s Yosef Zalmanson noted that Powell did announce one practical step that he expected would be implemented \"in the very, very near future.\" He said that Prime Minister Sharon has formed a senior-level committee to \"work with the Palestinians on the negotiation and implementation of a cease-fire and what follows from that,\" and that \"I also understand that Chairman Arafat remains ready to do likewise and to engage on these issues through a similar senior-level committee,\" and that Gen. Zinni will \"work with these two committees [in order to reach] a cease-fire… \"
Afterwards, Powell was asked to explain what he meant by his statement, \"We [the U.S.] will push, we will prod [the two sides].\" His response: \"You\'ll see what pushing and prodding is when Tony Zinni gets on the ground.\"
The Yesha Council and other nationalist groups were critical of Powell\'s call for an end to \"Israeli occupation,\" the cessation of settlement activity, and a PA state. Others noted that Powell placed these in the framework of the Mitchell Report, which Israel has noted requires a total cessation of violence before its implementation.
Media analayst Michael Widlanski notes that the official PA media \"virtually ignored all elements in [Powell\'s speech] that were critical of the Palestinian Authority.\" Voice of Palestine last night noted pro-PA aspects of Powell\'s speech, but ignored others. For instance, Widlanski reports, PA listeners were not informed that \"Powell insisted that the terms for ending occupation - the details of boundaries and timetables - had to be worked out in mutual agreement as part of negotiations between the Palestinians and Israel.\"
Widlansky also noted that PA minister Nabil Sha\'ath and Oslo-architect Yossi Beilin were disappointed by the speech. Contrary to their predictions, Powell\'s speech did not back the stationing of international observers in Judea and Samaria, nor did it void the 7-day period of no hostility demanded by Israel before talks could open.
Arutz-7\'s Yosef Zalmanson noted that Powell did announce one practical step that he expected would be implemented \"in the very, very near future.\" He said that Prime Minister Sharon has formed a senior-level committee to \"work with the Palestinians on the negotiation and implementation of a cease-fire and what follows from that,\" and that \"I also understand that Chairman Arafat remains ready to do likewise and to engage on these issues through a similar senior-level committee,\" and that Gen. Zinni will \"work with these two committees [in order to reach] a cease-fire… \"
Afterwards, Powell was asked to explain what he meant by his statement, \"We [the U.S.] will push, we will prod [the two sides].\" His response: \"You\'ll see what pushing and prodding is when Tony Zinni gets on the ground.\"