Palestinians and Israelis to meet Bush

Palestinian and Israeli leaders were sitting down for face-to-face peace talks with George Bush today, as the US president attempted to build on the diplomatic momentum from his Arab summit.

“If all sides fulfil their obligations, we can make steady progress on the road toward Palestinian statehood, a secure Israel and a just and comprehensive peace,” Bush said yesterday, before heading for Aqaba, Jordan, for a second round of diplomacy.

In the Jordanian Red Sea port city, Bush was due to meet Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian prime minister Mahmoud Abbas – first separately, then in a three-way summit.

He also planned to meet Jordan’s King Abdullah II.

Meeting at the Egyptian resort of Sharm El-Sheik yesterday, Arab leaders pledged to fight terror and help end violence against Israel, standing in solidarity with Bush at what he said was “a moment of promise” for peace.

In the first of two Middle East summits, the United States welcomed Arab promises to block financial support for terrorists and help Abbas build a democratic state.

“We shall continue to work for a Middle East that is free of strife and violence, living in harmony without the threat of terrorism or dangers of weapons of mass destruction,” Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak said, reading a statement on behalf of himself, Abbas and the leaders of Jordan, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

The statement was short on specifics, but US officials said it went in the right direction.

And they noted one noticeable absence from the talks. ”Yasser Arafat was not here today, and Prime Minister Abbas was,” said US Secretary of State Colin Powell. ”We saw a transformed leadership here today.”

Arafat, the long-time Palestine Liberation Organisation leader and considered unworthy by Bush, was not invited.

Powell warned Arafat not “to be a spoiler” to peace efforts.

The Palestinians want the Israelis to withdraw from Arab lands seized in the 1967 war, mainly the West Bank and the Gaza strip. Sharon’s government has agreed to close down some outposts, but wants to retain others.

By the same token, recognition from the Arab world of Israel’s right to exist and normal relations is an important element of the so-called “road map” peace plan, which calls for a Palestinian state by 2005.

As of now, only Egypt and Jordan have recognised Israel – although they withdrew their respective ambassadors with the outbreak of violence in September 2000.

Israel had hoped that Egypt and Jordan would agree to return their ambassadors as part of the joint statement.

“We have signed an agreement with Egypt and Jordan, they should have their ambassadors here but they took them back,” said Dan Meridor, a prominent member of Sharon’s Likud party and an ex-Cabinet member.

“If one wants the Israelis to believe that the peace agreements are to be kept, they should be kept, and the ambassadors of Egypt and Jordan should be in Israel. The fact that they are not here is abnormal,” Meridor said.

Sharon will issue a statement accepting the principle of a Palestinian state. Abbas, in turn, will recognise Israel’s right to exist side by side with a Palestinian state.

Powell said that in any agreement, Israel “must always be seen as a Jewish state”.

Meanwhile, in a goodwill gesture, Israel released scores of Palestinian prisoners.

“Israel must deal with the settlements,” Bush told the Arab summit. “Israel must make sure there’s a continuous territory that the Palestinians can call home.”

US officials said Bush meant to say “contiguous”, and Powell said that meant that a Palestinian state could not be chopped up haphazardly.

Palestinian officials said they were encouraged by the statements from Bush and other Arab leaders.

“But what is important is what will happen in Aqaba. We will wait to see how these encouraging statements will be translated into deeds in the meeting,” foreign minister Nabil Shaath told The Associated Press.

“This means that Israel is committed to stopping all acts of violence against the Palestinians, and from our side we will bring a ceasefire.”

“The Palestinian statement will reiterate the Palestinian commitment to stop violence and to stop the military intifada,” said minister of Cabinet affairs Yasser Abed Rabbo. “According to the road map, we will recognise Israel to exist on the basis of two states, Palestine and Israel.”

Sharon has said he would probably commit Israel to dismantling settlement outposts set up in violation of Israeli law. Stopping all settlement construction is a key element of the peace plan.

Abbas was expected to pledge to stop the “military intifada”, a reference to armed militant attacks that have killed more than 750 Israelis in the latest round of violence, including about 350 from suicide bombings.