Prime Minister Sharon departed this afternoon for Washington, and will meet with U.S. President George Bush on Tuesday. The Bush-Sharon talks will focus, among other things, on the defensive anti-terrorist wall Israel is building between the Arab areas of Yesha and the rest of Israel. Abu Mazen, who met with Bush in Washington on Friday, found an "attentive ear" when he brought up the PA's opposition to the wall. It is assumed that Bush will "pressure" Sharon on this matter.
Lobbying groups say that White House email policies have changed - and therefore those who wish to express their objections to 'American pressure on Israel while the PA refuses to fulfill its obligations to disarm terrorist groups' are advised to call or fax. The White House Comment Line is (202) 456-1111, and the State Department Bureau of Public Affairs Comment Line is (202) 647-6575.
Abu Mazen said, following his meeting with the American leader, that he has no plans to disarm Hamas and Islamic Jihad: "The ceasefire is working," he said [paraphrased], "so why should I fight with my brothers?"
The Americans and the PA fear that the anti-terrorism partition wall will become a de facto border. Some right-wing groups in Israel also object to the wall, for similar reasons. The defensive value of the partition is also a matter of debate; some say that it will prevent at least some suicide terrorists from crossing into pre-67 Israel, while others say that it cannot stop all suicide terrorists, nor can it stop rockets and other forms of terrorism.
American-Israeli relations expert Yoram Ettinger, Israel's former liaison to the U.S. Congress, was asked if Abu Mazen's visit to Washington was a "setback" for Israel. Ettinger:
"We have managed to confuse and mix up our American friends, and strengthen our enemies, by producing a second edition of the Oslo scenario. In 1993, we gave a stamp of approval to the arch-terrorist Yasser Arafat and opened the White House to him - and it led to over 1,000 deaths. Now, ten years later, we're doing the same thing with his #2 man in the PLO for many decades, Abu Mazen, and once again rescuing the PLO..."
Asked if Israel should give in to the Bush pressures regarding the partition, Ettinger said,
"I don't know if stopping the construction of this fence should be considered giving in; but in any event, there is no need to give in to Bush at this time. His popularity is waning, he is facing elections after having won the last one by less than a hair's breadth, he is facing an economic crisis the likes of which the U.S. has not seen since the 1930's, and just like his father lost an election after an Iraq war, he could face the same thing - especially when his source of strength, the Christian right, does not like the turnabout that he has made regarding Israel...
"Israel has many allies in Washington, but one of them - Rep. Tom DeLay, who is arriving in the Middle East for a few days - said that he almost fell off his chair when he heard that Israel had agreed to the Road Map and a Palestinian State. He calls it the 'Road Map to destruction,' not 'to peace.' The Cheney-Rumsfeld alliance, the leading force in the Administration, does not at support this process - but when they see such a green light coming from the direction of Israel, they turn their attention to North Korea, and Iran, and Iraq, and the like, and allow Powell-Tenet to handle the Israel-Palestinian issues..."
Lobbying groups say that White House email policies have changed - and therefore those who wish to express their objections to 'American pressure on Israel while the PA refuses to fulfill its obligations to disarm terrorist groups' are advised to call or fax. The White House Comment Line is (202) 456-1111, and the State Department Bureau of Public Affairs Comment Line is (202) 647-6575.
Abu Mazen said, following his meeting with the American leader, that he has no plans to disarm Hamas and Islamic Jihad: "The ceasefire is working," he said [paraphrased], "so why should I fight with my brothers?"
The Americans and the PA fear that the anti-terrorism partition wall will become a de facto border. Some right-wing groups in Israel also object to the wall, for similar reasons. The defensive value of the partition is also a matter of debate; some say that it will prevent at least some suicide terrorists from crossing into pre-67 Israel, while others say that it cannot stop all suicide terrorists, nor can it stop rockets and other forms of terrorism.
American-Israeli relations expert Yoram Ettinger, Israel's former liaison to the U.S. Congress, was asked if Abu Mazen's visit to Washington was a "setback" for Israel. Ettinger:
"We have managed to confuse and mix up our American friends, and strengthen our enemies, by producing a second edition of the Oslo scenario. In 1993, we gave a stamp of approval to the arch-terrorist Yasser Arafat and opened the White House to him - and it led to over 1,000 deaths. Now, ten years later, we're doing the same thing with his #2 man in the PLO for many decades, Abu Mazen, and once again rescuing the PLO..."
Asked if Israel should give in to the Bush pressures regarding the partition, Ettinger said,
"I don't know if stopping the construction of this fence should be considered giving in; but in any event, there is no need to give in to Bush at this time. His popularity is waning, he is facing elections after having won the last one by less than a hair's breadth, he is facing an economic crisis the likes of which the U.S. has not seen since the 1930's, and just like his father lost an election after an Iraq war, he could face the same thing - especially when his source of strength, the Christian right, does not like the turnabout that he has made regarding Israel...
"Israel has many allies in Washington, but one of them - Rep. Tom DeLay, who is arriving in the Middle East for a few days - said that he almost fell off his chair when he heard that Israel had agreed to the Road Map and a Palestinian State. He calls it the 'Road Map to destruction,' not 'to peace.' The Cheney-Rumsfeld alliance, the leading force in the Administration, does not at support this process - but when they see such a green light coming from the direction of Israel, they turn their attention to North Korea, and Iran, and Iraq, and the like, and allow Powell-Tenet to handle the Israel-Palestinian issues..."