US President George W. Bush "is convinced that Israel must accept a Palestinian state to ensure its survival," according to a story in the Washington Post today. Quoting "current and former aides", the Washington newspaper reports that Bush said that "the Israelis are wasting their money on expanding settlements in the West Bank because ultimately those projects will become housing developments for Palestinians." According to the report, the reforms that Bush is pushing for in the Palestinian Authority serve to "create an alternative to Arafat.... This will then create a groundswell of popular support within Israel for creating a Palestinian state, and either the Israeli government accepts it or is replaced by a government that will, the aides said."
Meanwhile, two U.S. congressional leaders - a Republican and a Democrat - have recently made statements indicating that the Road Map's success depends on the Palestinian Authority's ability to stop terrorism.
Democratic Congressman Robert Wexler, who is in Israel, told Fox News Abu Mazen must make good on his promises. "They key to this whole process is the effort the new Palestinian Prime Minster makes to rid the Palestinian areas of the terrorist infrastructure. A cease-fire is a good beginning, but it is not a long-term goal. We need the elimination of the terrorist infrastructure." Wexler said in the interview, broadcast on Israel Radio. Republican Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen noted, even though Yasser Arafat was not invited to the Sharm el-Sheikh or Aqaba summits, he is still involved. "Although Abu Mazen is the new prime minister, Arafat may very well be calling the shots, because he is the leader of the Palestinian Authority, he is the leader of the Palestinian Liberation Organization and he is the leader of Fatah," the congresswoman said in an interview, also broadcast on Israel Radio. "Until there is a complete renunciation in action - not just in words - of violence, I don't think Israel can really negotiate," she said. "They have shed too much blood over this process already."
Meanwhile, two U.S. congressional leaders - a Republican and a Democrat - have recently made statements indicating that the Road Map's success depends on the Palestinian Authority's ability to stop terrorism.
Democratic Congressman Robert Wexler, who is in Israel, told Fox News Abu Mazen must make good on his promises. "They key to this whole process is the effort the new Palestinian Prime Minster makes to rid the Palestinian areas of the terrorist infrastructure. A cease-fire is a good beginning, but it is not a long-term goal. We need the elimination of the terrorist infrastructure." Wexler said in the interview, broadcast on Israel Radio. Republican Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen noted, even though Yasser Arafat was not invited to the Sharm el-Sheikh or Aqaba summits, he is still involved. "Although Abu Mazen is the new prime minister, Arafat may very well be calling the shots, because he is the leader of the Palestinian Authority, he is the leader of the Palestinian Liberation Organization and he is the leader of Fatah," the congresswoman said in an interview, also broadcast on Israel Radio. "Until there is a complete renunciation in action - not just in words - of violence, I don't think Israel can really negotiate," she said. "They have shed too much blood over this process already."