"Let us get started now…There is a need to end violence now," said Powell

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, May 11 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – It was time to end months of bloodshed and enact the Middle East peace roadmap, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said upon his arrival in Israel Saturday, May 10.

"Let us get started now…There is a need to end violence now. There is a need to end terror now. There is a need to take some steps that will make life a little better for the Palestinian people," Agence France-Presse (AFP) quoted Powell as telling a joint press conference in Al-Quds (occupied Jerusalem) with his Israeli counterpart Silvan Shalom.

Speaking to reporters on his plane, Powell appeared eager to get the process moving forward after 31 months of bloodshed in the region.

"We know what has to be done on the very first step of the first phase, so let's get on with it," he said.

Unveiled on April 30, the roadmap is a three-phase international peace plan designed to put an end to the 31-month Intifada and pave the way for the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel by 2005.

Moving Forward

But Powell warned against any delays to implementing the peace plan in what appeared to be an allusion to Israel's insistence that it be allowed to make changes to the document.

"People can comment on the roadmap as we move forward but let's not allow any comment period that might be upcoming, to stop us from moving forward," he said.

Powell, who is scheduled to hold separate talks later on Sunday, May 11, with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his Palestinian counterpart Mahmud Abbas, put both sides on notice Saturday night.

"One of the great challenges to Abbas is how to deal with organizations like Hamas or Islamic Jihad…He is beginning to take action, to make the right statements with respect to terror and violence," he said.

Turning to the Israelis, Powell reiterated U.S. President George W. Bush's demand for a freeze on Jewish settlement expansion in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

"As President Bush said ... we expect settlement activity to end and I believe we have had extensive assurances from the Israeli government that is their position as well," Powell said.

CIA Help

Powell will also offer the new Palestinian leadership the help of the CIA and military aid worth millions of dollars to combat “terrorism”, the Telegraph reported Sunday.

Intelligence gathered by the CIA on the activities of the Palestinian resistance groups, as well as equipment, and money to support the establishment of a robust Palestinian security force is expected to be offered.

"The Palestinian security apparatus is so degraded that it will be impossible for them to stop all terrorism immediately," said one U.S. diplomat.

"So the U.S. will be offering technical support, military training and other help to build up their security forces - that is what Mr. Powell will be telling them this weekend," he added.

"The secretary of state will be impressing upon Abu Mazen that he must offer more than just words and that groups like Hamas must be dealt with," said one of Powell's aides.

"If he is prepared to do this, you can expect that we will be there on the ground to help him. We have a big stake in this, and we have always been clear that we are prepared to offer assistance to bring peace."

The American intervention follows a week of clashes between Abbas and Sharon over the peace plan, in which each side has questioned the other's good faith on key issues.

Israel insists that it will not halt settlement activity in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, or limit military intervention there - both key demands of the road map - unless Mr. Abbas takes significant steps to end operations by Palestinian resistance groups.

'Partner For Peace'

For his part, Shalom took a hard-nosed stance towards Abbas.

"(If) this new Palestinian leadership learns to take measures against the extreme organizations still planning to implement terror against Israel ... they will find us to be a real partner for peace."

"We think the time has come. We will have meetings with the new Palestinian leaders," Shalom said.

Shalom told Mr. Powell that Israel could only make "more gestures towards the Palestinians" if the Palestinian leadership would stop militants from attacking Israelis, the BBC's correspondent said. 

And before the talks, Shalom stressed that Israel would not agree to "gestures capable of putting Israeli lives in danger," he added.

Meanwhile, Palestinian information minister Nabil Amr said the Palestinians would fulfill all their obligations under the terms of the roadmap.

"We will fulfill our commitment under the roadmap," insisted Amr, speaking after a meeting of the Palestinian cabinet.

"We hope that the United States will play a serious role ... in favor of the creation of a Palestinian state and will push Israel to accept the roadmap," he added.

Powell landed in Israel just 24 hours after U.S. President George W. Bush made one of his strongest pledges ever to work toward breaking the Israeli-Palestinian deadlock and vowed to create a U.S.-Middle East free-trade zone within 10 years.

The venue for Mr. Powell's meeting with Abu Mazen has been switched to the West Bank city of Jericho, the BBC added.

Reopening Borders

In a related development, the Israeli army announced Sunday the reopening of the country's border with the West Bank and Gaza.

"Political leaders decided Saturday evening to lift the total closure of the (West Bank) and the Gaza Strip from Sunday at 2:00 am local time", AFP quoted the army as saying in a statement.

Meanwhile, an Israeli was killed early Sunday in the West Bank when Palestinians opened fire on a vehicle he was traveling in, Israeli public radio reported.

It said the attack took place at 6:30 am (O330 GMT) outside the settlement of Ofra, near the Palestinian town of Ramallah.

The death brings to 3,220 the number of people killed since the start of the second Palestinian Intifada in September 2000, including 2,429 Palestinians and 731 Israelis.