RAMALLAH, 27 July 2003 — Palestinians were divided yesterday over the outcome of Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas’ first official visit to Washington, waiting to see whether President George W. Bush would follow up his criticism of Israel with tangible pressure.
Bush, in remarks at the White House Friday, notably described the dividing wall Israel is building along the West Bank as “a problem”, and added: “It is very difficult to develop confidence between the Palestinians and the Israelis ... with a wall snaking through the West Bank.”
He also said he would like to see a freeze in Jewish settlement-building, something required from Israel under the first phase of the US-backed road map.
But on the issue of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and the persisting siege on leader Yasser Arafat, both very important issues at home, Abbas seemed unable to get Bush’s commitment to pressure Israel.
For Palestinian MP Kaddoura Fares, Israel Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s planned visit to Washington on Tuesday, his eighth since he came to office, is “the true test for the American administration”. “We must see what Bush will tell the Israeli prime minister. We want action,” Fares said.
Israel dismissed Bush’s criticism, with one senior official saying the “security fence,” — Israel’s preferred term for the construction — was necessary to prevent Palestinian attacks against Israel and ensure security. Palestinian Information Minister Nabil Amr said he witnessed “tangible progress” in Palestinian-American relations.
“Tangible progress was made during Mahmoud Abbas’ visit, notably with the American decision to help relaunch the Palestinian economy,” Amr told reporters in Gaza City.
Amr was referring to Bush’s announcement of the formation of a joint-Palestinian-US economic group to assess conditions in Palestinian lands.
