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- STATEMENT BY SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL AND NATIONAL
SECURITY ADVISOR CONDOLEEZZA RICE
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- :: 23 May 2003 - The roadmap was presented to the Government
of Israel with a request from the President that it respond with
contributions to this document to advance true peace. The United
States Government received a response from the Government of
Israel, explaining its significant concerns about the roadmap.
The United States shares the view of the Government of Israel
that these are real concerns, and will address them fully and
seriously in the implementation of the roadmap to fulfill the
President's vision of June 24, 2002.
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- ++++ This amorphous fig leaf solution is sheer madness. This
American statement isn't a solution. It is another problem. A
source for future American-Israeli friction. What does it mean
to "address them fully and seriously in the implementation
of the roadmap"? This when the roadmap itself is not being
changed? Would anyone commit to a defective contract based on
the assurance that even though the written text is dangerously
defective that when the contract is implements that the problems
will be address? How can they be addressed when the text calls
for one thing and "addressing" these problem means
doing something completely differently?
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- Washington has already been bending over backwards to ignore
the failure of the Arafat-Mazen government to meet expectations.
More of the same can be expected in the future. Prime Minister
Sharon's statement after the announcement indicates a serious
failure in his team to think beyond the next 24 hours. It should
be noted that the "response from the Government of Israel,
explaining its significant concerns about the roadmap" is
not in the public record. A third party - concerned Israeli citizens
- have no way of even establishing if what happens in the future
does or doesn't address these problems since it can always be
claimed that newspaper reports regarding Israel's concerns were
no accurate.
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- If the wording of the statement was coordinated with Sharon
the ramifications are even more serious. It indicates that the
true "enemy" of both Bush and Sharon is the Israeli
public, hence the move to try and strip it of its ability to
effectively monitor and criticize implementation.
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- Today is a black mark on American Israeli relations and a
black mark on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. The question remains
if the ministers who make up his cabinet have the will to put
the interest of the nation over personal considerations and stop
this madness. This is particularly challenging for ministers
who see themselves only a conviction away from the prime minister's
slot (unlike other Israeli politicians who tried to separate
themselves from illegal fundraising activity, Sharon relied on
his sons and developed a paper trail that even the most political
attorney general can ignore for long).
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- To date no vote has been held on this matter by the Cabinet
in point of fact, no official discussion has been held by the
Cabinet of the roadmap. Under the law, each minister bears responsibility
for the decisions of the Government. We will see this Sunday
if the ministers have the intestinal fortitude to act on that
responsibility. Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent
Media Review Analysis) (mail POB 982 Kfar Sava) Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax
972-3-7255730 INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il pager 03-6106666
subscriber 4811 Website: http://www.imra.org.il
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