The United States State Department has already begun whittling down whatever Israeli "achievements" there were in U.S. President Bush's letter to Sharon this week. Secretary of State Colin Powell made clear yesterday that there is no change in American policy in the Middle East, and that the future of the settlements and the Arab refugees will be determined only in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher was asked yesterday if Bush's remarks about "new realities on the ground, including already existing major Israeli population centers," represent a departure from long-standing U.S. policy that "settlements are an obstacle to peace." Boucher's long answer did not relate at all to Bush's words about the "major Israeli population centers," but rather concentrated heavily on the Road Map's "freeze on settlement activity" and the welcome "prospect that that, for the first time, Israel will evacuate settlements." In fact, Boucher mentioned this withdrawal no fewer than six times.
Meanwhile, Bush administration officials are hoping that Sharon's disengagement to which Bush gave a boost this week will lead to the collapse of the present Israeli government coalition. So reported The New York Times today, quoting an unnamed senior administration official. The Americans hope that the National Religious Party and the National Union will make good on their threat to quit the government in the event that the expulsion plan is passed, thus paving the way for the Labor Party to enter the coalition. The Times says this will "create a political climate the Palestinians might consider more hospitable."
Mr. Sharon, on the other hand, wants the NRP to stay on - or so he says. He met with NRP leader Housing Minister Effie Eitam last night, and requested that the religious party remain in the government, even in the event that the Cabinet approves the uprooting plan. Correspondent Haggai Huberman reports that Sharon attempted to persuade Eitam of the plan's positive points, but that Eitam remained unconvinced. "The plan has security dangers," Eitam told Sharon, "and the expulsion of the residents will lead to a social catastrophe in Israel. The NRP will not be able to be a partner to a government that makes such a decision."
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher was asked yesterday if Bush's remarks about "new realities on the ground, including already existing major Israeli population centers," represent a departure from long-standing U.S. policy that "settlements are an obstacle to peace." Boucher's long answer did not relate at all to Bush's words about the "major Israeli population centers," but rather concentrated heavily on the Road Map's "freeze on settlement activity" and the welcome "prospect that that, for the first time, Israel will evacuate settlements." In fact, Boucher mentioned this withdrawal no fewer than six times.
Meanwhile, Bush administration officials are hoping that Sharon's disengagement to which Bush gave a boost this week will lead to the collapse of the present Israeli government coalition. So reported The New York Times today, quoting an unnamed senior administration official. The Americans hope that the National Religious Party and the National Union will make good on their threat to quit the government in the event that the expulsion plan is passed, thus paving the way for the Labor Party to enter the coalition. The Times says this will "create a political climate the Palestinians might consider more hospitable."
Mr. Sharon, on the other hand, wants the NRP to stay on - or so he says. He met with NRP leader Housing Minister Effie Eitam last night, and requested that the religious party remain in the government, even in the event that the Cabinet approves the uprooting plan. Correspondent Haggai Huberman reports that Sharon attempted to persuade Eitam of the plan's positive points, but that Eitam remained unconvinced. "The plan has security dangers," Eitam told Sharon, "and the expulsion of the residents will lead to a social catastrophe in Israel. The NRP will not be able to be a partner to a government that makes such a decision."