Ariel Sharon offered the Palestinians nothing during his eighth visit to the White House, reports Khaled Dawoud from Washington US President George W Bush knows how to please his White House guests. Standing next to Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas in the Rose Garden at the White House on Friday he confirmed his commitment to the establishment of a Palestinian state and improving living conditions in the occupied territories. Asked about the separation wall Israel is building to isolate Palestinian towns and confiscate more land Bush had his answer prepared: "I think the wall is a problem, and I have discussed this with Ariel Sharon. It is very difficult to develop confidence between the Palestinians and Israel with a wall snaking through the West Bank." On Tuesday it was Sharon's turn. Israel's prime minister chose simply to disregard US criticism of the wall. "A security fence will continue to be built with every effort to minimise the infringement on the daily life of the Palestinian population." Bush made no mention of the wall in his opening remarks. And when pressed by a reporter he was careful not to upset his guest. "The fence is a sensitive issue, I understand, and the [Palestinian] prime minister made it very clear to me that it was a sensitive issue. And my promise to him is we'll continue to discuss in the dialogue how best to make sure that the fence sends the right signal; that not only is security important, but the ability for Palestinians to live a normal life is important as well." The US president then moved in to please-the- current-guest-mode, announcing that his "commitment to the security of Israel is unshakable". Sharon was equally happy to please his host. "I congratulate you," said Israel's prime minister, "on the impressive victory in the Iraqi campaign and for removing Saddam Hussein from power -- one of the most ruthless and tyrannical leaders in history. Only you, Mr president, have shown the courage, determination and leadership needed to spearhead the successful campaign to oust this ruthless, merciless despot, his dynasty and evil regime." Insisting that both countries share a war against terror, Sharon went on to praise recent statements in which Bush warned Syria and Iran that they would be held accountable for alleged support of terrorist organisations. Sharon pulled out all the stops. Withholding any credit for the PA or Abbas's cabinet, or indeed anyone else, in securing a halt to operations inside Israel, he continued: "This relative calm [in Israel] was achieved first and foremost through the uncompromising activity of the Israeli security forces, and as a result of your personal efforts and the actions taken by the United States among Arab and European countries." Days before his arrival in Washington, Sharon announced that he would release 540 out of a total of 6,000 Palestinian prisoners. In Washington there was no advance on this figure. And only when the PA starts a real crackdown on "terrorist organisations" would he consider further steps to improve the living conditions of Palestinians, said Sharon. Despite the conflicting tone of the two meetings US officials insist that Bush remains committed to pressing both parties to make progress in peace talks. "I am committed to both sides that the United States will strive to see that promises are kept and monitor the parties' progress on this difficult journey," Bush said in his news conference with Sharon. For his part US Secretary of State Colin Powell has conceded that meeting the 2005 deadline for a Palestinian state, outlined in the roadmap released by Bush in December, might be difficult. But movement on the ground has to continue towards reaching that goal, he said. Which, presumably, formed the agenda of the three- hour meeting between US National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, and Interior Minister Mohamed Dahlan, during the Abbas visit. Bush also promised to consider more direct assistance to the PA, and announced that he would send his trade and treasury ministers to the region in the fall to discuss the means to build a sound Palestinian economy. Abbas, in statements to Arab reporters after his meeting with Bush, said he had pressed Bush to pressure the Israeli government to lift its nearly two-year-long siege of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. Bush's response was "positive", Abbas said, without further elaborating. A member of the Palestinian delegation told Al-Ahram Weekly that the US administration appreciated Abbas's view that continued verbal attacks on Arafat, describing him as a failed leader, only weakened the prime minister's position among Palestinians. Abbas said he had offered no compromises over what he considered minimum Palestinian demands -- the creation of a Palestinian state within the territories occupied by Israel in 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital and a just solution to the plight of millions of Palestinian refugees. "All what I want is the implementation of the roadmap and President Bush's vision," Abbas said. Which remains dependent on the amount of pressure Bush is ready is to exert on Sharon. Abbas's strategy, meanwhile, is to underline to the US administration that it is not the Palestinians that constitute the real obstacle to the peace process.
