The Palestinian leadership said US Secretary of State Colin Powell's Middle East mission had been a failure caused by Israel's refusal to end its three-week occupation of West Bank towns and villages.
"Israel assumes the whole responsibility for Powell's failure to obtain an immediate (Israeli) pull-out from all the towns and areas that were entered," said the statement released by the Palestinian Authority cabinet and the Palestine Liberation Organisation's executive committee.
The leadership added: "The Palestinian people have been made the object of the greatest terrorist campaign in history, which has the aim of destroying our national institutions, achievements and infrastructure."
They also called for the UN Security Council to meet and for the international community to condemn Israel's continuing military occupation.
Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Powell was leaving with the situation on the ground "much worse" than when he came and that Sharon had "torpedoed" Powell's efforts.
For his part, Mohammed Dahlan, the Palestinian Preventive Security chief in the Gaza Strip said Wednesday "after the failure of Powell's mission, Sharon will consider this a green light to escalate aggression and even storm into Arafat's office. This is a real danger."
"President Arafat told Powell that he will defend himself and his bodyguards until the last drop of blood."
Meanwhile, the foreign ministers of Egypt and Jordan, who met with Powell in Cairo on his way home, said Israel must withdraw from West Bank towns before Arab nations would join any U.S.-sponsored peace conference — a proposal put forward by Israel and touted by Powell during his mission. They also said no cease-fire can take hold without a withdrawal.
Foreign ministers Ahmed Maher of Egypt and Marwan Muasher said there are no guarantees a conference would be held.
"We explained to him that any talk of political or security issues must be preceded by an Israeli withdrawal," Maher told reporters.
Any conference should be aimed at implementing previous agreements and initiatives, Maher said. His Jordanian peer said the conference could only be held with all parties concerned attending — including Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, Syria and Lebanon.
Maher and Muasher refused to call Powell's visit a failure, saying Powell showed "understanding" of Arab demands and promised to follow up on his diplomatic efforts.
Maher and Muasher were adamant that Israel must move first. They refused to condemn suicide bombing.
"I can't imagine that anyone can ask for a condemnation of resistance to occupation. Occupation is there, and as long as there is Israeli violence against the Palestinian people, so resistance will continue," Maher said. "There is no way to stop all these events unless the Palestinian people get their rights back."
Muasher added, "There are no commitments that can be asked of any of the Arab parties before Israel lives up to its commitment which are the immediate withdrawal from Arab territories." (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
