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| Middle East |
| House Dems in Israel Meet Abbas, Sharon |
| 2003-08-06 |
| JERUSALEM (AP) - A leading U.S. congressman on Tuesday accused Yasser Arafat of hampering peace efforts and told the new Palestinian prime minister he must take responsibility and strike a deal with Israel. House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland, who is leading 29 House Democrats in a weeklong tour of Israel to discuss the Mideast peace process, made his comments after separate meetings with Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Hoyer told Sharon that Israel is "the world’s most courageous democracy," adding, "We are together in the struggle against terrorism." Obviously Charlie Rangel hasn’t gotten to this guy. The congressman said few of the Israeli leaders he talked to expressed confidence that Abbas, who was appointed by Arafat in April under U.S. pressure, had the power to act without Arafat’s approval. Pssst, Steny, they were spitballing you. "Nobody believes that Arafat is pursuing peace positively at this point," Hoyer said. "And that’s the problem." The congressional delegation later met Abbas at the Erez crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip. Hoyer said he told Abbas at their meeting that Arafat had hampered peace efforts, and "the world was now looking for (Abbas) to be a partner for peace." He said he told Abbas he must dismantle Palestinian terror groups, a step Abbas has refused to take, fearing a civil war. "But Congressman, that would be difficult to do |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #6 Junket season eh? Well than the Republicans must be enojoying the sun and fun in Jeddah courtesy of Aramco |
| Posted by: Not Mike Moore 2003-8-7 12:03:11 AM |
| #5 Wonder why 29 House Democrats had to go all the way to Israel to announce the obvious? Next they will head on over to Saudi Arabia and say that they produce a bunch of oil. On the way back they will have a brief stopover in Paris and delcare they speak a funny french-sounding language. This is the Junket season, god help us! |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter) 2003-8-6 4:46:36 PM |
| #4 mhw - 'zactly so. Arafat's death will do more for Paleo advancement in civilization than any other move they could make outside civil war. But I'd settle for that as well... |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-8-6 11:24:41 AM |
| #3 "Nobody believes that Arafat is pursuing peace positively at this point," Hoyer said. "And that’s the problem." What the hell is he talking about, have you ever heard of the State Department down the street at Foggy Bottom? |
| Posted by: Douglas De Bono 2003-8-6 11:22:02 AM |
| #2 However, everybody (Dems, Reps and Israelis) are letting Abbas get away with saying that the prisoner release was in the road map. Since the prisoner release wasn't in the road map, this statement actually constitutes incitement to violence (although with a fuse attached). |
| Posted by: mhw 2003-8-6 11:18:21 AM |
| #1 the Israel/PLO situation is one area that the Dems have made credible efforts at peace (and without selling out the Jews...except for Carter). Comments such as Hoyers are to be welcomed. Calling a spade a spade will get much more progress than trying to pretend the Paleos will ever accept a peace with a Jewish state. |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-8-6 9:48:29 AM |