Al-Ahram Weekly | Region

		4 - 10 July 2002 Issue No. 593 Region	Current issue Previous issue Site map
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875		Recommend this page

Odd man out
European leaders attending the G-8 Summit made their views clear on Bush's call to oust Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, Michael Jansen writes

US President George W Bush found himself odd man out at the 26-27 June Group of Eight (G-8) Summit held at the isolated mountain resort of Kananaskis in the Canadian Rocky Mountains.
While Bush called for the Palestinians to "make [the] right decisions" and elect a new leader not tainted by allegations of "terrorism", most other participants insisted that the Palestinians had the right to elect their own leaders. Those taking part in the gathering were the presidents and prime ministers of the US, Britain, France, Italy, Germany, Canada, Japan and Russia and European Commissioner Romano Prodi.
In Bush's speech of 24 June, which set the stage for his performance at the summit, the US president legitimised Israel's ongoing military campaign against the Palestinians by labelling those who resist Israeli occupation "terrorists" and called for "regime change" on the Palestinian side.
Bush made progress towards the establishment of a Palestinian state conditional on reform of the Palestinian system of governance and election of a new leadership which excludes Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. During the summit itself, Bush threatened to cut US aid to the Palestinians if they did not do his bidding.
The other G-8 leaders refused to endorse Bush's stand. French President Jacques Chirac stated unequivocally, "With regards to the head of the Palestinian Authority, it is the Palestinian people -- and they alone -- who should choose their representatives."
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder refused to halt dealings with Arafat in line with Bush's call. "As long as [Arafat] is the president, he remains our interlocutor." Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi stated their opposition to Bush's call for the removal of Arafat. A European Union (EU) official, speaking on behalf of the bloc, rejected Bush's demand.
"The European Union is in agreement that Arafat does not have to go. It is not a condition [for a Palestinian state]... neither the G-8 nor the international community... can say who is the leader of the Palestinian people."
In their initial response to Bush's speech, Prime Minister Tony Blair and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw issued a joint statement declaring, "It's up to the Palestinians to choose their own leaders." British cabinet ministers were dismayed by Bush's adoption of the policy advocated by administration hawks because it will do nothing to halt the deterioration of the situation in the occupied territories or promote negotiations. However, after a pre-summit meeting with Bush, Blair softened his tone without changing his line. He restated his position, "It's for the Palestinians to elect the people they choose to elect." However, the British PM warned the Palestinians that choosing a leadership not committed to peace could mean that the powers-that-be would not work towards the creation of a Palestinian state.
The Canadian government, which hosted the gathering, was divided on the Arafat issue.
While Foreign Minister Bill Graham stated "We believe the Palestinian people should choose their own representatives," Prime Minister Jean Chrétien seemed muddled about the matter. "I don't have a specific point of view on that... It might be a good thing... I don't want to comment on that. I just say that we need a quick election there to produce the best leadership."
British analysts wrote of a major split between Blair and Bush in spite of Blair's show of support for the US president, while Canadian commentators accused Chrétien of not being brave enough to stand up to Washington.
Only right-wing Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi seemed to tilt towards Bush.
"Many people are convinced that Arafat, a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, should make a generous gesture and move aside," Berlusconi stated. "If I were President Arafat, I would make a grand gesture that would enable him to go down forever in history as the man who gave everything for the freedom of his country." But even Berlusconi attempted to disguise his own association with Bush's crude call for "regime change" by suggesting that Arafat step down of his own accord.
The four European leaders attending the G-8 Summit had, on 22 June, signed onto a forthright statement by the EU Summit at Seville which called for the early convening of an international conference -- to be hosted by the US, Russia, the UN and the EU -- and a timetable for a definitive peace agreement. The EU said that there is "an urgent need for political action by the whole international community", condemned "all terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians" and insisted that Israel cease "all military operations in the occupied territories". EU leaders also told Arafat to reform the Palestinian Authority and hold early elections. Nothing was said about sidelining or ousting the Palestinian leader. Bush totally ignored the EU Summit's call for the international conference initially proposed by Secretary of State Colin Powell, as well as the EU demand for an Israeli cease-fire and withdrawal.
Diverging views on Arafat's tenure were papered over in the final G-8 statement which made no mention of "regime change". The G-8 stressed its "commitment to work for peace in the Middle East, based on our vision of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side within secure and recognised borders... We agreed on the urgency of reform of Palestinian institutions and [the Palestinian] economy, and of free and fair elections". A White House summary of Bush's accomplishments at the summit did not include any mention of Palestine.
The most alarming development during the last week of June was Powell's abject capitulation to the pro-Israel hawks in the Bush administration. On the day after the G-8 meeting, Powell demonstrated full compliance with the Bush hard-line, "There's a price to be paid for inaction against terrorism" and a refusal to reform. "There are others in the Palestinian movement who can help transform it." The president went on to allege, incorrectly, that it is "universally recognised" among Arab and other leaders that the current leadership of the Palestinians has failed.
Powell's shift would appear to mean that there are no brakes on the hawks who are giving signals that they fully intend to carry out "regime change" in Palestine, Iraq and any other country which does not accede to Bush's demands on weapons of mass destruction and "terrorism". Unfortunately, the G-8's final statement is vague enough to give the Bush administration a free hand to act against any leader, group or country Washington deems to be fostering "terrorism", harbouring "terrorists" or developing weapons of mass destruction.
US President George W Bush found himself odd man out at the 26-27 June Group of Eight (G-8) Summit held at the isolated mountain resort of Kananaskis in the Canadian Rocky Mountains.
While Bush called for the Palestinians to "make [the] right decisions" and elect a new leader not tainted by allegations of "terrorism", most other participants insisted that the Palestinians had the right to elect their own leaders. Those taking part in the gathering were the presidents and prime ministers of the US, Britain, France, Italy, Germany, Canada, Japan and Russia and European Commissioner Romano Prodi.
In Bush's speech of 24 June, which set the stage for his performance at the summit, the US president legitimised Israel's ongoing military campaign against the Palestinians by labelling those who resist Israeli occupation "terrorists" and called for "regime change" on the Palestinian side.
Bush made progress towards the establishment of a Palestinian state conditional on reform of the Palestinian system of governance and election of a new leadership which excludes Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. During the summit itself, Bush threatened to cut US aid to the Palestinians if they did not do his bidding.
The other G-8 leaders refused to endorse Bush's stand. French President Jacques Chirac stated unequivocally, "With regards to the head of the Palestinian Authority, it is the Palestinian people -- and they alone -- who should choose their representatives."
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder refused to halt dealings with Arafat in line with Bush's call. "As long as [Arafat] is the president, he remains our interlocutor." Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi stated their opposition to Bush's call for the removal of Arafat. A European Union (EU) official, speaking on behalf of the bloc, rejected Bush's demand.
"The European Union is in agreement that Arafat does not have to go. It is not a condition [for a Palestinian state]... neither the G-8 nor the international community... can say who is the leader of the Palestinian people."
In their initial response to Bush's speech, Prime Minister Tony Blair and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw issued a joint statement declaring, "It's up to the Palestinians to choose their own leaders." British cabinet ministers were dismayed by Bush's adoption of the policy advocated by administration hawks because it will do nothing to halt the deterioration of the situation in the occupied territories or promote negotiations. However, after a pre-summit meeting with Bush, Blair softened his tone without changing his line. He restated his position, "It's for the Palestinians to elect the people they choose to elect." However, the British PM warned the Palestinians that choosing a leadership not committed to peace could mean that the powers-that-be would not work towards the creation of a Palestinian state.
The Canadian government, which hosted the gathering, was divided on the Arafat issue.
While Foreign Minister Bill Graham stated "We believe the Palestinian people should choose their own representatives," Prime Minister Jean Chrétien seemed muddled about the matter. "I don't have a specific point of view on that... It might be a good thing... I don't want to comment on that. I just say that we need a quick election there to produce the best leadership."
British analysts wrote of a major split between Blair and Bush in spite of Blair's show of support for the US president, while Canadian commentators accused Chrétien of not being brave enough to stand up to Washington.
Only right-wing Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi seemed to tilt towards Bush.
"Many people are convinced that Arafat, a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, should make a generous gesture and move aside," Berlusconi stated. "If I were President Arafat, I would make a grand gesture that would enable him to go down forever in history as the man who gave everything for the freedom of his country." But even Berlusconi attempted to disguise his own association with Bush's crude call for "regime change" by suggesting that Arafat step down of his own accord.
The four European leaders attending the G-8 Summit had, on 22 June, signed onto a forthright statement by the EU Summit at Seville which called for the early convening of an international conference -- to be hosted by the US, Russia, the UN and the EU -- and a timetable for a definitive peace agreement. The EU said that there is "an urgent need for political action by the whole international community", condemned "all terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians" and insisted that Israel cease "all military operations in the occupied territories". EU leaders also told Arafat to reform the Palestinian Authority and hold early elections. Nothing was said about sidelining or ousting the Palestinian leader. Bush totally ignored the EU Summit's call for the international conference initially proposed by Secretary of State Colin Powell, as well as the EU demand for an Israeli cease-fire and withdrawal.
Diverging views on Arafat's tenure were papered over in the final G-8 statement which made no mention of "regime change". The G-8 stressed its "commitment to work for peace in the Middle East, based on our vision of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side within secure and recognised borders... We agreed on the urgency of reform of Palestinian institutions and [the Palestinian] economy, and of free and fair elections". A White House summary of Bush's accomplishments at the summit did not include any mention of Palestine.
The most alarming development during the last week of June was Powell's abject capitulation to the pro-Israel hawks in the Bush administration. On the day after the G-8 meeting, Powell demonstrated full compliance with the Bush hard-line, "There's a price to be paid for inaction against terrorism" and a refusal to reform. "There are others in the Palestinian movement who can help transform it." The president went on to allege, incorrectly, that it is "universally recognised" among Arab and other leaders that the current leadership of the Palestinians has failed.
Powell's shift would appear to mean that there are no brakes on the hawks who are giving signals that they fully intend to carry out "regime change" in Palestine, Iraq and any other country which does not accede to Bush's demands on weapons of mass destruction and "terrorism". Unfortunately, the G-8's final statement is vague enough to give the Bush administration a free hand to act against any leader, group or country Washington deems to be fostering "terrorism", harbouring "terrorists" or developing weapons of mass destruction.

Send a letter to the Editor Recommend this page

ARCHIVES
Letter from the Editor
Editorial Board
Subscription
Advertise!

WEEKLY ONLINE: www.ahram.org.eg/weekly
Updated every Saturday at 11.00 GMT, 2pm local time
weeklyweb@ahram.org.eg

Al-Ahram Organisation