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White House Backs Latest Israeli Attacks

(Washington Post) The Bush administration signaled strong support for Israel's crackdown on militant groups Thursday, effectively abandoning its earlier criticism of Israel that had sparked an outcry from lawmakers on Capitol Hill and pro-Israel lobbying groups. One pro-Israeli source in touch with administration officials attributed the initial White House criticism of Israel to a "human reaction" after administration officials awoke to discover that the glow of last week's Middle East summits had been shattered by the Israeli strike against Rantisi. "But by Wednesday they realized it was not the natural place of the United States to rush to the defense of Rantisi," he said. Bush is not planning on calling Sharon or Abbas to try to revive the peace plan, said White House spokesman Ari Fleischer. "It's not as if a phone call will get Hamas to stop being terrorists," he said. See also Powell Urges Abbas to Restrain Terrorists Secretary of State Colin Powell phoned Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday and urged him to move faster to restrain terrorist groups. "We want him to use that limited capability as effectively as he can," Powell said later. Powell credited Sharon with dismantling some West Bank settlement outposts and taking other steps to implement the road map. As for Abbas, Powell said: "I believe that he can do more. He has said he would do more." Powell said he told the Palestinian leader, "I expect him to be taking more aggressive steps." (AP/Washington Post)
2003-06-13 00:00:00
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