Though Prime Minister Sharon will meet with US President Bush tomorrow, the Israeli Government delegation in Washington has thus far failed in its efforts to obtain American promises of substance in exchange for the withdrawal from Gaza. Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu set the stakes when he said last month that he would support the plan only on three conditions:
* The Americans must issue public declarations against the so-called 'right of return' for Arabs who left Israel in 1948.
* The Americans must also agree that the counter-terrorism partition fence include settlement blocs in Judea and Samaria, and that the entire fence be completed before the retreat begins.
* Israel must control all entrances and exits to the Gaza Strip, including the Philadelphi route separating Egypt and Gaza.
From what is now known, however, it appears that U.S. President George Bush will issue only a vague statement regarding these issues, stating that the final-status statement will "take into account the demographic situation in Judea and Samaria" and that the 'right of return' will be implemented within the boundaries of the designated Palestinian state that Bush hopes will arise. Difficulties in formulating the exact extent of American support for Sharon's positions even led to a several-hour delay in his departure for the U.S. last night. A senior Israeli official explained his consternation with Sharon to the Maariv daily, saying, "It would have been better if we requested things that the US is able to provide. The Americans will not be able to provide the requested political declarations regarding annexation of settlements."
A New York Times editorial today explained why it is not in the interests of those who support the Road Map and a Palestinian state to agree to the Netanyahu conditions. The paper, not known for being a Bush supporter, wrote, "Mr. Bush did exactly the right thing yesterday by giving advance notice that he's not willing to pay [the price that Mr. Sharon is asking]." The paper continued setting forth its view - and apparently that of Bush - of the situation:
"While there is no effective Palestinian Authority to deal with right now, ultimately there can be no realistic substitute for a negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. That will never happen without Israeli withdrawal of most of its settlements. The United States cannot allow Mr. Sharon to maneuver it into sanctioning an indefinite Israeli occupation of the West Bank.
"[Bush yesterday] reaffirmed his commitment to the creation of a Palestinian state, and [Egyptian President] Mubarak said it was not acceptable to talk about a withdrawal from Gaza alone. Mr. Bush might tell Mr. Sharon that it is his job to persuade his countrymen that withdrawing from Gaza is in their own best security interest. A withdrawal from Gaza must start a process, not end it."
Contrary to Sharon's hopes, it appears that the two leaders will not hold a joint press conference after their meeting, but will rather suffice with "diplomatic statements."
Former Israeli liaison to Congress Yoram Ettinger said that even low-level Bush promises are not something to get excited about:
"If he says that Israel will not have to return to its pre-1967 borders, so what? Many American Presidents have said this in the past - such as Johnson in 1968 and Reagan in 1982. And even if Bush promises lots of money, he cannot guarantee it. For instance, Clinton promised Barak a few years ago $800 million in exchange for the withdrawal from Lebanon - but this money has not yet arrived. This is because Congress has to approve it, and this is a very long process - and that's the way the American democracy works... It's not a monarchy. For instance, Reagan promised in 1981 that the F-15 jets sold to Saudi Arabia would not be stationed in the Tabuk base within striking distance of Eilat - but in fact they are stationed there right now..."
Ettinger said that US Vice President Cheney has said several times that he would rather that Sharon not come to Washington, because Sharon has disappointed him:
"Cheney sees the withdrawal from Gaza as a blow against the Americans' war on terrorism. This is because he sees the withdrawal from Lebanon as having turned Hizbullah into a major player in the anti-American terrorism in Iraq, and a withdrawal from Gaza will only make it worse. And the fact that this move is being promoted by the Israeli Prime Minister, Cheney feels, further undermines the American efforts."
* The Americans must issue public declarations against the so-called 'right of return' for Arabs who left Israel in 1948.
* The Americans must also agree that the counter-terrorism partition fence include settlement blocs in Judea and Samaria, and that the entire fence be completed before the retreat begins.
* Israel must control all entrances and exits to the Gaza Strip, including the Philadelphi route separating Egypt and Gaza.
From what is now known, however, it appears that U.S. President George Bush will issue only a vague statement regarding these issues, stating that the final-status statement will "take into account the demographic situation in Judea and Samaria" and that the 'right of return' will be implemented within the boundaries of the designated Palestinian state that Bush hopes will arise. Difficulties in formulating the exact extent of American support for Sharon's positions even led to a several-hour delay in his departure for the U.S. last night. A senior Israeli official explained his consternation with Sharon to the Maariv daily, saying, "It would have been better if we requested things that the US is able to provide. The Americans will not be able to provide the requested political declarations regarding annexation of settlements."
A New York Times editorial today explained why it is not in the interests of those who support the Road Map and a Palestinian state to agree to the Netanyahu conditions. The paper, not known for being a Bush supporter, wrote, "Mr. Bush did exactly the right thing yesterday by giving advance notice that he's not willing to pay [the price that Mr. Sharon is asking]." The paper continued setting forth its view - and apparently that of Bush - of the situation:
"While there is no effective Palestinian Authority to deal with right now, ultimately there can be no realistic substitute for a negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. That will never happen without Israeli withdrawal of most of its settlements. The United States cannot allow Mr. Sharon to maneuver it into sanctioning an indefinite Israeli occupation of the West Bank.
"[Bush yesterday] reaffirmed his commitment to the creation of a Palestinian state, and [Egyptian President] Mubarak said it was not acceptable to talk about a withdrawal from Gaza alone. Mr. Bush might tell Mr. Sharon that it is his job to persuade his countrymen that withdrawing from Gaza is in their own best security interest. A withdrawal from Gaza must start a process, not end it."
Contrary to Sharon's hopes, it appears that the two leaders will not hold a joint press conference after their meeting, but will rather suffice with "diplomatic statements."
Former Israeli liaison to Congress Yoram Ettinger said that even low-level Bush promises are not something to get excited about:
"If he says that Israel will not have to return to its pre-1967 borders, so what? Many American Presidents have said this in the past - such as Johnson in 1968 and Reagan in 1982. And even if Bush promises lots of money, he cannot guarantee it. For instance, Clinton promised Barak a few years ago $800 million in exchange for the withdrawal from Lebanon - but this money has not yet arrived. This is because Congress has to approve it, and this is a very long process - and that's the way the American democracy works... It's not a monarchy. For instance, Reagan promised in 1981 that the F-15 jets sold to Saudi Arabia would not be stationed in the Tabuk base within striking distance of Eilat - but in fact they are stationed there right now..."
Ettinger said that US Vice President Cheney has said several times that he would rather that Sharon not come to Washington, because Sharon has disappointed him:
"Cheney sees the withdrawal from Gaza as a blow against the Americans' war on terrorism. This is because he sees the withdrawal from Lebanon as having turned Hizbullah into a major player in the anti-American terrorism in Iraq, and a withdrawal from Gaza will only make it worse. And the fact that this move is being promoted by the Israeli Prime Minister, Cheney feels, further undermines the American efforts."