WASHINGTON (voa) – The White House says President Bush is open to a resumption of political talks between Israel and the Palestinians before the two sides agree on a cease-fire. However, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer stressed the president remains committed to both goals – an end to the violence and a political solution.
Previously, the Bush administration insisted that a cease-fire must be in place before political talks could resume.
European and Arab leaders have been pressing the United States to step up its diplomatic efforts to restore peace in the Middle East and to pressure Israel to end its military operations in Palestinian areas of the West Bank.
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, who travels to Europe next week, has indicated that he may meet with Mideast officials during that trip. On Wednesday Mr. Powell met in Washington with Arab-American and U.S. Muslim leaders. They urged the Bush administration to implement last week’s U.N. Security Council resolution that calls for an immediate Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian areas and cessation of all violence.
The Security Council is expected to vote Thursday on an Arab proposal demanding immediate enforcement of the resolution.
A European Union delegation begins an urgent diplomatic mission to the Mideast Thursday. It is seeking permission from Israel to meet with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
Mr. Arafat has been confined to a few rooms in his office in the West Bank town of Ramallah since Friday, when Israel began its military operations aimed at rooting out terrorists and prevent attacks on Israelis.
