41. Rice, for instance, said several times in her interview that Palestinian violence had to end before Israel would consider reopening peace talks. 42. Ross, the chief U.S. coordinator for Middle Eastern affairs, assumed a direct role in the Israeli-Palestinian talks after an eruption of Palestinian violence last month. 43. Saudi Arabia, for its part, must insist just as strongly and painstakingly on an end to Palestinian violence against Israelis. 44. Secretary of State Colin Powell blamed Palestinian violence for a failed U.S. peace initiative to the region. 45. Separately, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking with President Bill Clinton, emphasized the importance of halting Palestinian violence in the West Bank. 46. Sharon has not unveiled his diplomatic plan or his plan for countering Palestinian violence and terrorism more effectively than did Barak. 47. Sharon now argues that the United States is facing off with world terrorism in the same manner in which Israel sees itself confronting Palestinian violence. 48. Second, a United States newly bloodied by suicide terrorism is identifying Palestinian violence as terrorism and supporters of those tactics as fellow-travelers. 49. Sharon said that a halt to Palestinian violence should come first, followed later by mutual measures to restore trust and eventually a resumption of negotiations. 50. Sharon won on a promise to give Israelis back their sense of security, to free them from the fear of Palestinian violence. |