Israel must lift the siege of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat if it wants to move quickly to a peace settlement, Palestinian information minister Nabil Amr said in remarks published Sunday.
"Besieged president Arafat is in an unjust, illogical and abnormal situation. This abnormal situation must change," Amr told Asharq Al-Awsat.
Such a change "will give impetus to the peace process," he added.
The siege "makes many Palestinians angry and they express this anger in measures and practices that (risk) blowing up the situation," he was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
Israelis know "Mr. Arafat's power and influence on our people," he said.
"The Israelis and Americans must (...) change their attitude toward Yasser Arafat. We tell them frankly that, if they want to move rapidly toward a political settlement, Mr. Arafat's abnormal situation must end," he added.
Despite the siege, Amr said some "progress" had been made since President George W. Bush held talks with Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in June aimed at implementing the new peace plan known as the "roadmap."
"There is progress. We must admit it," Amr said. "Progress is relative. To be sure, it's not enough progress... (...), but on the ground, the situation has improved." (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
