Jewish Voice For Peace Criticizes Bush Promises To Sharon
Group Says Bush Assurances On Final Status Issues "Profoundly Damage Prospects For Peace"
Wednesday, April 14, 2004 (Oakland, CA) -- Jewish Voice for Peace, the largest Jewish peace group of its kind in the United States, harshly criticized President George W. Bush for his promises to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at a White House press conference today.
In response to Sharon's commitment to a withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, Bush stated that a final status settlement of the conflict would not include a return to the borders that existed before the 1967 war; that Israel could go ahead with its planned route for a "separation wall"; and that a permanent status solution for Palestinian refugees would only include a return to a Palestinian state, not to Israel.
"What the President has done today is short-circuit negotiations and to pre-determine final status outcomes on very sensitive issues," said Mitchell Plitnick, co-director of Jewish Voice for Peace. "By giving Israel these assurances on borders and refugees, he has left the Palestinians no room to negotiate these issues, which are so central to Palestinian aspirations. The President has changed the framework for negotiations, and has done so to reward Israel for a Gaza pullout that is both mandated by international law and in the best interests of Israel. And his commitment to this ill-conceived course will bind America for years to come."
Negotiations for the Gaza withdrawal and compensation for it have been conducted between the United States and Israel only, with no input at all from the Palestinians. In response to Bush's words at the press conference, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia said: "He is the first president who has legitimized the settlements in the Palestinian territories when he said that there will be no return to the borders of 1967. We as Palestinians reject that; we cannot accept that; we reject it and we refuse it."
Jewish Voice for Peace is the country's (U.S.) largest grassroots Jewish peace group dedicated to achieving a lasting peace that recognizes the aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians for security and self-determination. We work to promote a foreign policy based on peace, democracy, human rights and respect for international law. Contact us for background information on the silent majority of American Jews who support an end to Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory.
Jewish Voice for Peace http://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/
Please also see:
Letter from President Bush to Prime Minister Sharon
April 14, 2004
By George W. Bush
http://www.miftah.org/Display.cfm?DocId=3497&CategoryId=18
U.N., E.U. Rebuke Bush’s Support Of Israeli Occupation
http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2004-04/15/article02.shtml
Bush’s Policy Shift Blow To Mideast Peace: U.S. Press
http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2004-04/15/article03.shtml
US Endorses Israel's Occupation
http://www.miftah.org/Display.cfm?DocId=3495&CategoryID=3
Why all the fuss about the Bush-Sharon meeting?
Ali Abunimah, The Electronic Intifada, 14 April 2004
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article2577.shtml
Photo courtesy of The Electrronic Intifada http://electronicintifada.net
Group Says Bush Assurances On Final Status Issues "Profoundly Damage Prospects For Peace"
Wednesday, April 14, 2004 (Oakland, CA) -- Jewish Voice for Peace, the largest Jewish peace group of its kind in the United States, harshly criticized President George W. Bush for his promises to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at a White House press conference today.
In response to Sharon's commitment to a withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, Bush stated that a final status settlement of the conflict would not include a return to the borders that existed before the 1967 war; that Israel could go ahead with its planned route for a "separation wall"; and that a permanent status solution for Palestinian refugees would only include a return to a Palestinian state, not to Israel.
"What the President has done today is short-circuit negotiations and to pre-determine final status outcomes on very sensitive issues," said Mitchell Plitnick, co-director of Jewish Voice for Peace. "By giving Israel these assurances on borders and refugees, he has left the Palestinians no room to negotiate these issues, which are so central to Palestinian aspirations. The President has changed the framework for negotiations, and has done so to reward Israel for a Gaza pullout that is both mandated by international law and in the best interests of Israel. And his commitment to this ill-conceived course will bind America for years to come."
Negotiations for the Gaza withdrawal and compensation for it have been conducted between the United States and Israel only, with no input at all from the Palestinians. In response to Bush's words at the press conference, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia said: "He is the first president who has legitimized the settlements in the Palestinian territories when he said that there will be no return to the borders of 1967. We as Palestinians reject that; we cannot accept that; we reject it and we refuse it."
Jewish Voice for Peace is the country's (U.S.) largest grassroots Jewish peace group dedicated to achieving a lasting peace that recognizes the aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians for security and self-determination. We work to promote a foreign policy based on peace, democracy, human rights and respect for international law. Contact us for background information on the silent majority of American Jews who support an end to Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory.
Jewish Voice for Peace http://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/
Please also see:
Letter from President Bush to Prime Minister Sharon
April 14, 2004
By George W. Bush
http://www.miftah.org/Display.cfm?DocId=3497&CategoryId=18
U.N., E.U. Rebuke Bush’s Support Of Israeli Occupation
http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2004-04/15/article02.shtml
Bush’s Policy Shift Blow To Mideast Peace: U.S. Press
http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2004-04/15/article03.shtml
US Endorses Israel's Occupation
http://www.miftah.org/Display.cfm?DocId=3495&CategoryID=3
Why all the fuss about the Bush-Sharon meeting?
Ali Abunimah, The Electronic Intifada, 14 April 2004
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article2577.shtml
Photo courtesy of The Electrronic Intifada http://electronicintifada.net