Time Is Now for Palestinian State, Rice Says
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RAMALLAH, West Bank — The time has come for establishing a Palestinian Arab state and it’s in the interest of America to do so, Secretary of State Rice said today in one of her most forceful statements yet on the issue.
The comments from Mr. Rice, after a meeting with the Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas, suggested that the Bush administration is determined to try to bridge the wide gaps between Israel and the Palestinian Arabs ahead of an American-hosted Mideast conference.
The gathering is expected to take place next month, though a date has not been announced. Moderate Arab countries, whose participation is widely viewed as critical, have not committed to attending.
Standing next to Mr. Abbas, Ms. Rice defined Palestinian Arab statehood as an American interest.
“Frankly, it’s time for the establishment of a Palestinian state,” Ms. Rice said.
“I wanted to say in my own voice to be able to say to as many people as possible that the United States sees the establishment of a Palestinian state and a two-state solution as absolutely essential for the future, not just of Palestinians and Israelis but also for the Middle East and indeed to American interests,” she said. “That’s really a message that I think only I can deliver.”
Tensions arose yesterday when Prime Minister Olmert of Israel told his Cabinet that he did not regard a joint declaration of principles for a future peace deal to be a prerequisite for the conference. The Palestinian Arabs said that without such a document, they would not attend.
Ms. Rice did not say whether she wants the document completed before the conference, set in Annapolis, Md. However, America has said it wants a substantive working paper dealing with all the key disputes before the start of the conference. The issues include borders, Jerusalem, Israeli settlements, and Palestinian Arab refugees.
“We frankly have better things to do than invite people to Annapolis for a photo op,” she said.
She said ending the Israeli-Palestinian Arab conflict is a top priority of the Bush administration.
