U.S. President George Bush phoned Prime Minister Ariel Sharon this weekend to personally insist that Israel withdraw its forces from the PA areas. Sharon told Bush that Israel is making every effort to speed up its anti-terrorist Operation Protective Wall. The Prime Minister\'s Office noted that the two leaders emphasized the strong friendship of their nations. The arrival of U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell in the region at the end of the week is expected to be the focus of American pressure for Israeli \"gestures.\" Israel Radio\'s diplomatic correspondent reported this morning that Israel could be expected to withdraw from \"one or two cities\" as such a \"gesture.\" Powell, in several Sunday afternoon country-wide interviews, said that Sharon definitely understood Bush\'s message to have Israel end its offensive.
Meir Rozenne, former Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. told Arutz-7 today that the level of American pressure has \"not quite reached the levels of pressure to which we have been exposed in the past, such as in 1956… However, now the situation is different, in that the U.S. itself is fighting terrorism 10,000 kilometers away from its home, and its leaders have made many statements in support of Israel\'s struggle - which is fighting for its very existence… In addition, Israel has never asked for any foreign soldiers to fight on its behalf… The American demand [upon Israel to withdraw] is not an ultimatum, and Bush himself criticized Arafat strongly in his speech, such that there can be no logical expectation that we will negotiate the future of the country with a man that Bush called a terrorist and said several times that he is a \'traitor to his nation.\' … In addition, there is no talk of sanctions; the U.S. remembers previous Palestinian behavior, in attempting to take over Jordan, in blowing up American planes, etc. … The American public realizes who is to blame and who is the aggressor; the Senate recently passed a very pro-Israel resolution, Arafat himself is guilty of ordering the killing of American Ambassador to Sudan…\"
\"It\'s amazing,\" Rozenne said. \"200 [Moslem] terrorists break into a church and take hostages, and the world condemns Israel; can you imagine what would have happened if just one armed Israeli soldier had done the same? The whole Catholic world would have been up in arms against Israel…\"
Meir Rozenne, former Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. told Arutz-7 today that the level of American pressure has \"not quite reached the levels of pressure to which we have been exposed in the past, such as in 1956… However, now the situation is different, in that the U.S. itself is fighting terrorism 10,000 kilometers away from its home, and its leaders have made many statements in support of Israel\'s struggle - which is fighting for its very existence… In addition, Israel has never asked for any foreign soldiers to fight on its behalf… The American demand [upon Israel to withdraw] is not an ultimatum, and Bush himself criticized Arafat strongly in his speech, such that there can be no logical expectation that we will negotiate the future of the country with a man that Bush called a terrorist and said several times that he is a \'traitor to his nation.\' … In addition, there is no talk of sanctions; the U.S. remembers previous Palestinian behavior, in attempting to take over Jordan, in blowing up American planes, etc. … The American public realizes who is to blame and who is the aggressor; the Senate recently passed a very pro-Israel resolution, Arafat himself is guilty of ordering the killing of American Ambassador to Sudan…\"
\"It\'s amazing,\" Rozenne said. \"200 [Moslem] terrorists break into a church and take hostages, and the world condemns Israel; can you imagine what would have happened if just one armed Israeli soldier had done the same? The whole Catholic world would have been up in arms against Israel…\"