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Bush Says No Need for Peace in Middle East for Anti-Terror War to Succeed
JERUSALEM, Occupied Territories, Nov 8 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Calls for greater U.S. involvement in the Middle East peace process grew Thursday from both Palestinian and European leaders after U.S. President George W. Bush said he does not need peace in the Middle East in order for his "anti-terror war" to succeed.
Palestinian minister for international cooperation Nabil Shaath, on a visit to Washington, asked the United States to "become thoroughly involved once again in this peace process, there is no other alternative."
In Berlin, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder also emphasized the role of the United States in helping solve the Middle East conflict.
He said the crisis required action by the United States, European Union, Russia and the United Nations "at the highest level".
The Bush administration has thus far employed a hands-off policy when dealing with the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which many believe is the leading factor behind the attacks on September 11.
The appeals to Washington followed remarks by Bush that easing violence between Israel and the Palestinians was not key to U.S. efforts to build a successful international coalition backing the war on Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network in Afghanistan.
However, the attacks on Afghanistan and threats the campaign will expand to target other Muslim/Arab countries has caused concern among several Arab and Muslim states.
"There's no doubt in my mind we'll bring al-Qaeda to justice, peace or no peace in the Middle East," Bush said during a joint appearance with visiting British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
"There is no way whatever in which our action in Afghanistan is conditional on progress in the Middle East," agreed the British leader, in Washington to discuss efforts to overcome growing criticism of the U.S.-led "war on terrorism".
But he went on to say, "it is in everybody's interest that we make progress in the Middle East, and we will strain every sinew we possibly can to do so."
Washington invigorated efforts to calm tensions between Israel and the Palestinians immediately after the attacks, fearing that if it did not crack down on Israeli aggressions it would alienate the Arab Muslim world.
Israel welcomed Bush's remarks - the first seemingly less critical remarks since the U.S. slammed the Jewish state for its brutal invasion and occupation of Palestinian-ruled lands.
Bush's remarks went down less well in Arab quarters.
"All questions are linked," Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher told reporters.
"Continued tensions in Palestine and the absence of a settlement to the Palestinian problem create frustration, despair and anger."
Palestinian MP Kamal al-Sharafi said the comments "emphasize the lack of seriousness on the part of the American president towards the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the lack of awareness that the attacks suffered on September 11 are related to the Palestinian problem."
Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat dismissed Bush's statement as "lacking credibility", since the continued Israeli occupation was "the most extreme form of terrorism."
In Sweden, Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres met with Palestinian parliamentary speaker Ahmed Qorei, who told meeting participants it was "now the time to recognize an independent state according to the United Nations" and to "return immediately to serious negotiations."
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