- The Guardian,
- Tuesday April 9 2002
President George Bush angrily repeated his demand for Israel's withdrawal but his demands appeared to make no immediate impact on the heavy fighting which continued to rage in three West Bank cities - Nablus, Jenin and Bethlehem.
However, in a response to US pressure , Israel's defence ministry said that its troops were preparing to withdraw overnight from Qalqiliya and Tulkaram, two West Bank towns where the fighting is effectively over.
But Mr Sharon was unbending on the US's central demand. He told Israel's parliament, the Knesset, that the military operations that have claimed the lives of at least 200 Palestinians were not yet complete.
The end of the operations would be followed by redeployment of thousands of troops to two "buffer zones" between Israel and Palestinian cities of the West Bank.
He added that "the places we leave must have a responsible Palestinian leadership that will take over the areas".
Mr Sharon appeared to be suggesting that he would only do business with Palestinians not affiliated with the Palestinian Authority.
Palestinian reaction was angry. Cabinet minister Saeb Erekat said Israel would not find Palestinians to go along with such a plan.
The White House called Israel's proposed withdrawal "a start" and said all parties in the Middle East should step up to their responsibilities. Earlier the US Middle East envoy, Anthony Zinni, delivered a strongly worded message to Mr Sharon, reiterating Mr Bush's demand for a withdrawal.
An angry-looking Mr Bush told reporters: "I meant what I said to the prime minister of Israel. I expect there to be a withdrawal without delay. I also meant what I said to the Arab world - that in order for there to be peace, nations must stand up and leaders must stand up and condemn terrorism. There is a mutual responsibility to achieve peace."
A further hint of Israeli compromise came last night when the foreign minister, Shimon Peres, said that they would allow the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, to meet the US secretary of state, Colin Powell, who is to visit Israel this week.
However, Mr Peres has been overruled by Mr Sharon on several occasions.
Mr Sharon's spokesman, Ra'anan Gissin, said the buffer zones - which critics say would represent a de facto redrawing of Israel's borders - would be created along the existing green line, separating Israel proper from the occupied territories on the West Bank, and running north-south on the east of the Jordan Valley. The green line, said Mr Gissin, would be widened to a buffer zone of five miles, and the buffer zone along the Jordan valley would be upwards of 10 miles wide.
Mr Sharon and his advisers say the sealing of the Palestinian cities of the West Bank - a plan long cherished by Mr Sharon - is necessary to prevent suicide bombers and gunmen infiltrating Israel.
In his only attempt at a concession to Arab opinion in his speech, Mr Sharon offered to meet "moderate and responsible leaders of the Middle East" to discuss peace, a move rejected by senior Palestinians.
As the military operation entered its 11th day, fighting raged in the West Bank city of Nablus and the Jenin refugee camp, where hundreds of gunmen have been fighting Israeli soldiers for five days.
Meanwhile, President Saddam Hussein announced that Iraq would cut oil exports for 30 days.
