Abbas Blasts Sharon’s Remarks at Talks in US

Author: 
Agencies
Publication Date: 
Thu, 2005-04-14 03:00

RAMALLAH, West Bank, 14 April 2005 — Angry Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas yesterday accused Ariel Sharon of trying to undermine his authority at the Israeli prime minister’s summit with US President George W. Bush. As Israeli officials tried to downplay differences with Washington exposed during Monday’s summit in Texas, Abbas said he was “astonished” by Sharon’s “campaign against the Palestinian Authority during (his) visit to the United States”.

“Abu Mazen (Abbas) has been elected by the Palestinian people on the basis of a clear program of political reform and security,” a statement from his office said. “He has the full support of the Palestinian people to implement his peace program with Israel on the basis of President Bush’s two-state vision through the implementation of the road map.”

According to Israeli media reports, Sharon told the Americans that Abbas was fighting for his survival. Sharon also pointedly referred to Abbas as chairman of the Palestinian Authority while Bush called him President Abbas. Israel’s top-selling Yediot Ahronot said Sharon’s attempts to heap blame on the new Palestinian leader for the stalled nature of the peace process did not wash with the US leader. “Sharon tried to sell Abu Mazen to Bush as the bad boy of the Middle East. Bush was not buying it. On the contrary, he praised Abu Mazen for his achievements on the ground,” it said.

Meanwhile, Israeli national police commander Moshe Karadi was holding talks in Jordan yesterday that Israeli media reports said would focus on measures to protect Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Karadi’s first call was to Jordan’s police chief, Maj. Gen. Mohammad Majed Al-Eitan, to discuss border security, a spokesman for the public security department told AFP.

Karadi’s visit comes amid increasing fears that right-wing Jewish extremists could try to launch an attack on the compound in a bid to disrupt the pullout of settlers from the Gaza Strip.

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