U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell plans to pressure Arab nations to cut off their ties with PA Chairman Yasser Arafat. So reports the Arabic-language London-based A Sharq Al-Aussat, in the name of senior U.S. Administration officials.
At the same time, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom decided this morning that Israel would not prevent foreign leaders from visiting Arafat in his besieged Mukata compound in Ramallah. Israeli ministers will also not boycott the visiting dignitaries. Israel will, however, attempt to impress upon them that such visits will weaken Abu Mazen in his attempts to take effective control in the PA. Sharon and Shalom feel that preventing the meetings outright would cause Israel undue diplomatic harm.
The new policy will be tested today when Japanese Foreign Minister Ioriko Kawaguchi visits Israel and the PA. Sharon was not scheduled to met with her in any event, because of "scheduling difficulties."
Abu Mazen himself is not cooperating, however. He demands no less than the total removal of the siege on Arafat's Mukata compound, and said that he will not agree to visit any world capitals until this occurs. Arafat, whom Israel holds responsible for the 31-month-old Oslo War's 761 deaths at the hands of Palestinian terrorists, has not been allowed to leave his Ramallah offices in the past year and a half.
Powell, during his visit to the region later this week, will attempt to convince Arab leaders to shunt aside Arafat and work to dismantle Hamas. "Now is bill-paying time for Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt, who pressured the U.S. to pressure Israel to renew the talks with the Palestinians," Administration officials told The New York Times. Powell will visit Israel as well, if the new Abu Mazen government has been approved by then.
Other possible visits being talked about are Ariel Sharon in Egypt and Abu Mazen in Washington. Administration officials have said that an invitation to Abu Mazen will not be "automatic" and that the Americans will carefully review his actions over the "first few days" before proffering him an invitation.
At the same time, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom decided this morning that Israel would not prevent foreign leaders from visiting Arafat in his besieged Mukata compound in Ramallah. Israeli ministers will also not boycott the visiting dignitaries. Israel will, however, attempt to impress upon them that such visits will weaken Abu Mazen in his attempts to take effective control in the PA. Sharon and Shalom feel that preventing the meetings outright would cause Israel undue diplomatic harm.
The new policy will be tested today when Japanese Foreign Minister Ioriko Kawaguchi visits Israel and the PA. Sharon was not scheduled to met with her in any event, because of "scheduling difficulties."
Abu Mazen himself is not cooperating, however. He demands no less than the total removal of the siege on Arafat's Mukata compound, and said that he will not agree to visit any world capitals until this occurs. Arafat, whom Israel holds responsible for the 31-month-old Oslo War's 761 deaths at the hands of Palestinian terrorists, has not been allowed to leave his Ramallah offices in the past year and a half.
Powell, during his visit to the region later this week, will attempt to convince Arab leaders to shunt aside Arafat and work to dismantle Hamas. "Now is bill-paying time for Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt, who pressured the U.S. to pressure Israel to renew the talks with the Palestinians," Administration officials told The New York Times. Powell will visit Israel as well, if the new Abu Mazen government has been approved by then.
Other possible visits being talked about are Ariel Sharon in Egypt and Abu Mazen in Washington. Administration officials have said that an invitation to Abu Mazen will not be "automatic" and that the Americans will carefully review his actions over the "first few days" before proffering him an invitation.