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U.S. "Not Pressing" for Gaza-West Bank Convoys

(Jerusalem Post) Hilary Leila Krieger - The U.S. hasn't applied pressure on Israel to resume talks over establishing convoys for Palestinians between the Gaza Strip and West Bank, despite having brokered an agreement calling for them, diplomatic officials said Thursday. Israel suspended work on the issue following Monday's suicide bombing in Netanya. Prime Minister Sharon's spokesman Raanan Gissin said that "there's no pressure" on Israel from the Americans to return to discussions about meeting the deadline for the convoys. Gissin said the convoys issue would only be taken up after PA action against terror: "The whole discussion of operating this new arrangement will be delayed until the Palestinian Authority is serious about fighting terror," he said. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State David Welch, who arrived in Israel on Thursday, told Israeli officials, "If the Palestinian Authority won't deal with terror, someone else should," according to Israeli sources familiar with the conversation. An American official described Abbas's need to crack down on terror as the primary focus of Welch's visit.
2005-12-09 00:00:00
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