US, Israel resigned to Arafat role in security

ISRAEL and the US appeared yesterday to have resigned themselves to pursuing peace with a new Palestinian government despite objecting to President Yasser Arafat’s continued clout in security affairs.

“This is a grace period only,” a senior Israeli government source said.

Washington retreated from its position that a Palestinian prime minister must control all security forces and said it would judge a new Palestinian cabinet, due for parliamentary approval today, on its performance.

The American retreat followed a Palestinian deal under which the cabinet, led by Prime Minister Ahmed Quriea, and a National Security Council chaired by Mr Arafat, will be responsible for security matters.

“Security responsibility is now shared for the first time,” said Tayeb Abdel-Rahim, a senior Arafat aide.

The US and Israel had sought to sideline Mr Arafat completely, accusing him of fomenting violence and had pressed for an “empowered” prime minister. Bowing to the reality that the Palestinians were unlikely to choose a government more to Washington’s liking, the State Department said the only criterion was whether Mr Quriea’s new administration would crack down on militants.

A violence-stalled US-backed road map for peace calls on the Palestinian Authority to dismantle militant organisations behind the suicide bombings that have killed hundreds of Israelis since the start of a Palestinian uprising in September 2000.

“The Americans contacted me and said they were not happy with the structure of the new government but they will judge it by its actions,” Palestinian cabinet secretary Hassan Abu Libdeh said, describing a position also publicly voiced by Israeli officials.

Palestinian officials have called the US campaign against Mr Arafat interference in internal Palestinian affairs.

Israeli officials have said Prime Minister Ariel Sharon hopes to meet Mr Quriea to discuss prospects for reviving the peace plan, which also calls for a freeze in settlement expansion on occupied land and creation of a Palestinian state by 2005.

“We are giving him (Mr Quriea) reasonable doubt, letting him prove that he is not Arafat’s lapdog,” the Israeli government source said.

Asked about the latest US statements, the source said: “The reform call is still there, but they know it is not going to happen overnight.

Mr Bush fixed the American policy of refusing to deal with Mr Arafat in a June 2002 speech that called for a new Palestinian leadership “not compromised by terror”.