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Israel to U.S.: Don't be "Intoxicated by the New Smell of Peace in the Air"

(Jerusalem Post) Herb Keinon - Prime Minister Sharon's aide Dov Weisglass is to meet U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Monday carrying a dual message: Abbas is making the right moves, but they are still not sufficient to warrant permanent settlement discussions. Rice will be coming to the region next Sunday for talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. Weisglass is expected to tell the U.S. administration that there can be no permanent settlement talks until there is a permanent Palestinian commitment to stop violence - a requirement that a "hudna," an internal Palestinian cease-fire, does not fulfill. Israel is increasingly concerned by messages from Europe that both sides must now take advantage of the current "window of opportunity" to "jump-start" the negotiations. Israel's message to Washington, one official said, "is not to be intoxicated by the new smell of peace in the air." Israel expects the Palestinians to carry out their commitments under the Road Map's first phase, which means stopping terror, violence, and incitement by arresting terrorists, confiscating weapons, and destroying bomb, mortar, and Kassam rocket manufacturing factories. Defense Minister Mofaz told the cabinet Sunday that there has been a 75% decrease in the number of attacks over the last few days. At the same time, there was still a high number of terror warnings, and several militant groups are continuing efforts to carry out attacks.
2005-01-31 00:00:00
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