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Delicate Maneuvers Led To U.S.-Israeli Stance

(Washington Post) Peter Slevin - The Israeli negotiating team met for hours with two members of President Bush's National Security Council and a top State Department diplomat, wrangling over wording on Israeli settlements and Palestinian refugees, struggling to find a formula that provided the support Sharon wanted, in a form Bush would be comfortable delivering. Intrigued by the Gaza idea and aware that Sharon was determined to act with or without him, Bush broke with longstanding U.S. policy on Wednesday to help the Israeli leader. "Eliminating taboos and saying the truth about the situation is, we think, a contribution toward peace," a senior White House official said Thursday. "Getting people to face reality in this situation is going to help, not hurt." The negotiations leading to Wednesday's announcement reflected a decision by the administration to see Sharon's move as an opportunity, while trying to shape it in ways that would preserve the possibility of a negotiated settlement later. Sharon told the Americans that he could not expect to win political backing in Israel without a Bush endorsement. "We wanted to help him swing it, because we felt this moves the peace process forward" by giving Palestinians control in Gaza, a senior White House official said Thursday.
2004-04-16 00:00:00
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