And Now: Seething!
Palestinian spokesliars are exploding with rage (I know, hard to believe, isn’t it?) at the statements made today by President Bush in his meeting with Ariel Sharon: PA angry over Bush, Sharon meeting.
Palestinian Authority officials reacted with anger and deep disappointment to the outcome of the meeting between Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and US President George W. Bush on Wednesday, warning that the understandings between Israel and the US would lead to more violence and end the peace process.
PA Chairman Yasser Arafat called an emergency meeting of the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah on Thursday – the second in 24 hours – to discuss the repercussions of the understandings between Sharon and Bush.
“This is a grave mistake,” said Abbas Zaki, a senior Fatah leader and close associate of Arafat. “Bush is making a major mistake by raising the issues of the refugees and borders. This is an upheaval that is unacceptable. The US has killed the peace process. The US wants to impose the Israeli solution. This is a big deceit.”
Another PA official commented: “Today Bush dealt a fatal blow to the peace process. The US can no longer be expected to play any role in the peace process. What Bush did is very irresponsible and dangerous. Bush has adopted the Israeli right-wing policy. There can be no agreement without the Palestinians.”
And as usual when the PLO doesn’t feel their grievances have been properly aired, they’re threatening violence.
“Any statement or language whose context does not coincide with the peace process or contradicts the road map will leave nothing for negotiations,” Qurei told reporters in Ramallah.
“We hope the American administration, which isn’t the main partner of the road map, will remain committed to its responsibilities and not give any language that is considered a reward for a party or a side at the expense of the other party. Otherwise, there will be no peace.”
Former PA information minister Yasser Abed Rabbo joined the chorus of threats to step up the violence by declaring that the situation in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip could become worse than Iraq.
“We say that we are facing a dangerous crossroads,” he said. “No one should deceive the capital cities of the Arab world or Europe. They should tell the US administration that this plan is completely unacceptable and will ignite a fire in the region more intense than the one we are witnessing now in Iraq.”