U.S. President George W. Bush & British Premier Tony Blair

WASHINGTON, April 6 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) – U.S. President George W. Bush and British Prime Minster Tony Blair held a joint press conference Saturday near Bush’s ranch in Crawford, Texas where they addressed the current situation in the Occupied Territories as well as possible action against Iraq. 

Bush urged Israel to withdraw "without delay" from Palestinian territory, saying that Israel "must halt incursions in the Palestinian controlled areas and begin to withdraw without delay from the areas it has occupied.” 


"My words to Israel are the same today as they were a couple of days ago: withdraw without delay," Bush said in response to a question asking whether or not he has “failed to force Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to withdraw” from recently invaded Palestinian cities and why he waited until today to speak more forcefully against the incursions.


"I expect Israel to heed my advice,” Bush continued. 


Blair also went on to assert that London expects Israel to comply with demands for withdrawal, saying, “ Israel knows it has no greater friends than the U.S. and Britain. We are trying to secure a way out of present impasse where some of these obstacles can be addressed. I believe Israel will heed the calls of President Bush.” 


Israel, however, reacted coolly Saturday to Bush’s call for a halt to its offensive on the West Bank, saying its forces will pull back only when they "finish the job." 

An official in Sharon’s office told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that, "Once we finish the job, then we will be withdrawing our forces 'without delay.'" 

Bush said the speech he gave Thursday from the White House, in which he announced the dispatch of Secretary of State Colin Powell to the region, came when it did "because I was concerned about the ability of those of us interested in a long-term solution to take hold."


The president said he was "worried" that further inaction would scuttle hopes for a long-lasting peace. 

“In order to achieve peace both sides must take constructive steps. And we [the U.S.] will help. 

"I expect [Israel] to heed the call from their friends in the United States" as well as "the leadership" of Great Britain, Bush reiterated. 

The British leader also echoed that both Washington and London are seeking a political way out of the current impasse. 

But Bush once again slammed Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for "fail[ing] in his leadership.” 


"Chairman Arafat has failed in his leadership, and he's let the people down. 

“He's had opportunity after opportunity to be a leader, and he hasn't led. And I'm disappointed," Bush said. 

Blair was questioned about the failure of the U.S. to build an international coalition supporting a possible U.S. strike on Iraq, and specifically about the U.S.’ desire to topple Iraqi President Saddam Hussein’s regime. 

“Would the region, world and Iraqi people be better off without the regime of Saddam Hussein? Yes,” Blair stated. 

However, he indicated that he did not see eye to eye with the U.S. regarding taking action against a head of state, specifically considering U.N. doctrines condemning actions taken towards toppling regimes and regarding a people’s right to choose their own leaders. 

“How we approach this is a matter of discussion and a matter of weighing and assessing all options,” Blair continued 

Bush asserted that Hussein has failed to prove he has no weapons of mass destruction in attempt to support his administration’s unequivocally stated goal of wanting to oust the Iraqi leader. 

“I explained to Prime Minister Blair that policy of my government is to remove Saddam.” 


The two leaders returned to Bush’s ranch after the press conference and are expected to continue talks throughout the weekend.