gelatik
09.03.02, 00:17
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Bush administration assailed Israel on Friday for attacks
that have left scores of Palestinian civilians dead
Demanding an immediate halt, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher
said "above all, civilians should not be targeted."
Boucher cited reports of an Israeli vigilante group carrying out an attack on
the West Bank and reported attacks on ambulances.
"We strongly oppose the Israeli policy of targeted killing that has led to the
death of many innocent civilians," the spokesman said.
"It's important for the Israelis to think hard about their policies, think
through the consequences of things like going into heavily populated areas with
heavy military force. Because those consequences can be tragic," Boucher said.
His remarks at the State Department's daily media briefing extended a the
tougher line the Bush administration has taken recently on Israel's tactics in
retaliating to Palestinian terror attack.
On Wednesday, Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) publicly
rebuked Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (news - web sites), saying "if you declare
war against the Palestinians and think you can solve the problem by seeing how
many Palestinians can be killed — I don't know if that leads you anywhere."
In a fresh burst of U.S. diplomacy, President Bush (news - web sites) is
sending mediator Anthony Zinni to the Middle East next week to try to work out
a truce between warring Israelis and Palestinians.
Announcing the sudden decision Thursday at the White House, Bush said "the
United States will do all it can to help the government of Israel and the
Palestinian Authority (news - web sites) restore hope to their people and to
the region."
Zinni, on his third mediation mission, intends to guide Israel and the
Palestinians toward a "road map to peace," Bush said.
Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites), who was at Bush's side during
the announcement, will fly to the Middle East and the Persian Gulf on Sunday.
His trip was billed initially as one of coalition-building in the U.S. campaign
against terrorism.
But Cheney said Thursday he would discuss with government leaders, including
those in Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, peacemaking recommendations by an
international commission headed by former Senate Democratic leader George
Mitchell and a peace overture by Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.
Powell, also at Bush's side, said Zinni will focus on security "so we can get
the violence under control, down to zero," and move to a political settlement.
Bush made the decision based on signals from Israel and the Palestinians
suggesting that after unrelenting bloodshed they were ready to consider a
truce, two senior U.S. officials told The Associated Press.
Bush and his senior advisers did not predict an outcome. But the president
politely suggested that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon look beyond
security to "a vision for peace." Bush said he hoped "my friend, Prime Minister
Sharon, agrees with that assessment."
The Bush administration had been under pressure to take a more active role in
the Middle East morass. But he held back, insisting first on a period of calm.
But now, a senior administration official said, on condition of anonymity, "the
bottom line is that all those involved concluded that the risks of sending Tony
Zinni back were less than the risks of standing aloof."
"All the leaders sent us a signal that this was the right time," the second
U.S. official said, also on condition of anonymity.
Israel welcomed Bush's announcement. "We will do our best to facilitate a
successful visit by Zinni to the region. Everything depends on (Yasser)
Arafat," Israeli Embassy spokesman Mark Regev said.
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Zinni's trip "is a useful move." The
situation is deteriorating and some "serious intervention" is necessary, he
said.
Zinni's mission, expected to begin late next week, may take him to Egypt and
Jordan in addition to his talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials.
