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U.S. Voices Implicit Support of a Palestinian State
The United States on Tuesday expressed implicit support in creating a Palestinian state but reiterated that Israelis and the Palestinians must first move to reduce the tension in the Middle East and implement the Mitchell report.
"The idea of a Palestinian state has always been a part of a vision, so long as the right of Israel to exist is respected. But first things first, when it comes to the Middle East, and we've got to get to Mitchell, the Mitchell accords," President George W. Bush said when meeting with Congressional leaders at the White House.
The Mitchell report, proposed by an international committee headed by former U.S. senator George Mitchell, calls for an unconditional cease-fire between Israelis and the Palestinians, followed by confidence-building measures from both sides, and then a cool-off period before the resumption of peace talks.
White House Ari Fleischer chanted a similar message at a regular briefing, saying that a Palestinian state is part of what the U.S. has contemplated for the Middle East. But he also noted Israel's right to exist in security must be respected.
"In the context of a negotiated settlement between the parties in the Middle East, the United States believes that the Palestinian people should live peacefully and securely in their own state, just as the Israelis should be able to live peacefully and securely in their state," he said.
"The focus in the Middle East remains the Mitchell accord and getting the parties to begin the political process," Fleischer said.
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