JERUSALEM, 15 July 2004 — The top UN envoy to the Middle East is no longer welcome in the Palestinian territories after he harshly criticized veteran leader Yasser Arafat, a senior adviser to the Palestinian president said yesterday. “Terje Roed-Larsen’s statement is not objective. As of today he is an unwelcome person in Palestinian territories,” Nabil Abu Rudeinah said, referring to the envoy’s latest monthly briefing to the UN Security Council, given on Tuesday.
Roed-Larsen accused Arafat of giving “only nominal and partial support” to Egyptian efforts to support Palestinian security reforms demanded by the international community.
While Arafat remained confined to the West Bank, surrounded by Israeli forces, Roed-Larsen said, “this is not an excuse for passivity and inaction”.
He also criticized Israel, accusing the Jewish state of making “no progress” on international demands that it dismantle settlements built on Palestinian land since March 2001, and move toward a total freeze of settlement activities.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan issued a statement backing Roed-Larsen, saying he had expressed international concern “regarding a lack of implementation” by both Israel and the Palestinians of the road map peace plan introduced in 2003.
Meanwhile, Israeli Premier Ariel Sharon continued his quest to form a new coalition with an invitation to an ultra-orthodox party after the main opposition Labour Party agreed to negotiate.
