Jewish settlements could scuttle us Mideast peace bid

The US stepped back into the Middle East conflict tonight and said it would help broker a peace deal if the violence stopped unconditionally.

Secretary of State Colin Powell endorsed a report into the violence by a commission headed by former senator George Mitchell, who helped broker the Northern Ireland peace process, which calls for an immediate end to the killings.

But Israel immediately rejected one of the commission’s main proposals - a freeze on Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza.

However retired general Powell said he was sending a senior diplomat to Israel to engage with both Palestinians and Israelis in a bid to find a settlement which would bring a permanent end to violence.

But he said the bloodshed had to stop immediately and unconditionally before there could be any settlement and added: ‘‘It’s a very clear sequence in my mind.’’

His intervention came after Senator Mitchell presented the findings of a commission he led into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict which called for a series of ‘confidence-building measures’’ on each side.

The report’s plan for peace tells both sides they must stop the conflict and resume talks, while Israel should put a freeze on settlements and the Palestinians should act decisively against terrorists using their territory as a base to attack Jews.

And the Mitchell report, which makes 28 separate recommendations, was backed by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan who said it could form the basis of a ceasefire and peace talks.

He urged Israel and the Palestinians Monday to take a ‘‘momentous step’’ to end Mideast violence by following the commission’s recommendations.

In Jerusalem, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s aide, Raanan Gissen, welcomed the report but said Israel ‘‘rejected the issue of a complete freeze on settlements.’’

Senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said the report would be ‘‘a real test for the American administration. But the real key for success is to stop all settlement activities without any exceptions.’’

Speaking in Washington Mr Powell said: ‘‘I hope both sides will be sobered by the events of the last few days where we have seen a series of incidents, each one building on another incident by the other side.

‘‘It is now more clear than ever that there can be no military solution.’’

Hundreds have died since violence first flared eight months ago in the Israeli-occupied territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip and has continued unabated ever since, while peace talks have broken down.

Both sides have accepted the Mitchell plan as the basis of talks, Mr Powell said, but neither side has declared a ceasefire.

Mr Powell said he was sending William Burns, currently US ambassador to Jordan, to Israel, to talk to both sides to persuade them to implement the Mitchell plan and work with the US ambassador to Israel and the country’s consul-general to the Palestinians.

‘‘I have asked them to report directly to the president and me with the purpose of immediately ending the violence,’’ he said.

But the American secretary of state ruled himself or President George W Bush out of any role in the negotiations and said: ‘‘This is no time for shuttle diplomacy.’’

Violence continued in the Middle East today, with two Palestinians shot dead by Israeli security forces and helicopter gunships rocketing what Israelis claimed was a mortar factory and Palestinians said was a car parts workshop.

Last Friday, 19 people died, including 12 killed during Israeli bombing raids on Palestinian territory in retaliation for a Hamas suicide bomber who killed five Israelis at a shopping mall.

Unveiling his plan, Mr Mitchell said: ‘‘Fear, hate, anger and frustration have arisen on both sides. The cycle of violent action and violent reaction must be broken.

‘‘Death and destruction will not solve the problems of the Middle East.’’ The commission calls for a series of confidence building measures, including security co-operation, a ban on lethal force being used against Palestinian protesters and the lifting of blockades preventing Palestinians working in Israel.

‘‘We believe that all of these measures will help all of the parties to build confidence and resume negotiations,’’ said Mr Mitchell.

‘‘The parties must find a way back to the negotiating table.’’

The UN secretary-general called on European nations to put their weight behind the report. ‘‘There are elements in it which should allow the parties to step back and take steps for a ceasefire, confidence-building measures and eventually return to the table,’’ Mr Annan said.

‘‘I hope this opportunity will not be wasted, and that they will seize it as a momentous step back from the precipice and try and end the violence in the region.’’