Posted on 12/06/2001 1:38:21 AM PST by Happy Life
Arafat asks Bondevik to plead his case
Norway's Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik had a special message for President George W. Bush when they met in Washington on Wednesday. He delivered a plea from Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat asking for more time to round up terrorists.
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| Norways Prime Minister Kjell Mange Bondevik and American President George W. Bush met at the White House in Washington on Wednesday. |
The Norwegian prime minister spoke to Yasser Arafat and Israel's Ariel Sharon on the telephone on Wednesday. He was able to bring to his meeting with President Bush 'fresh messages' from both leaders, reaffirming Norway's role as a peace negotiator for the Middle East.
"Sharon said he had no intention of attacking Palestinian targets more, and for the last 26 hours, there has been no attack," Bondevik told journalists on the White House driveway.
Bondevik said the main message in Arafat's plea to Bush was 'Give me a chance.' Arafat told Bondevik he had already arrested the leaders of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad.
After his meeting with the American president, Bondevik said they both agreed to put more pressure on Arafat to exercise stronger leadership. "We agree that Arafat has not done enough," said the Norwegian prime minister.
Bondevik declined to say how long the Palestinian leader would be given to show he really intended to clamp down on terrorism.
US President George W. Bush insisted that Yasser Arafat do everything in his power to prevent further "terrorist attacks" in Israel.
"The PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) needs to stand up and rout out those killers, those murderers who are preventing us from getting the peace process in place," Bush told reporters at the start of an Oval Office meeting with the Norwegian prime minister.
Palestinian suicide bombings killed 25 people and wounded 200 in Haifa and Jerusalem over the weekend. On Wednesday, a suicide bomber blew himself up outside a Jerusalem hotel, injuring three people.
Israel retaliated for the suicide bombings with its fiercest attacks since a 14-month conflict with the Palestinians began.
Aftenposten Interactive English Desk
Liz McNamara
Sharon would give Arafat more time if he saw Arafat was making a real effort.
Rather, Arafat is just a figurehead that attends conferences and expresses condolences with crocodile tears.
The PA is just a foil for any suicide bomber with a belt nade out of C4 or TNT.
Barak offered Arafat “the store” and he just played stupid and walked away.
The Palestinians will not be satisfied until the Jews are out of Israel. It's a lot like that 007 movie where Bond offers
to talk as a lazer is cutting through a steel table and headed for his crotch.
The fat dude says, “I don't want you to talk Mr. Bond... I want you to die!”
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