'Security first' idea a big failure

After two years of aggression in the Occupied Territories, it is becoming apparent now that the very idea of 'security first' has finally been shelved by the U.S. administration.

This at least has been done temporarily if not for good. Hardliners within Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's government may not be in line with the new thinking process, yet they are made to accept this for the time being.

Arab leaders have been clamouring for long that the 'security alone policy' will not work unless it is accompanied by a tangible political progress towards an overall peace in the region.

Credible reports are coming in that on one hand all the Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, are working on a ceasefire proposal in their fight against Israel, while representatives of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and Israel met for the first time on Saturday to discuss various measures to ease conditions in the Occupied Territories.

A ceasefire announcement would not only permit holding of elections in a free and fair atmosphere but also would ultimately result in the creation of a Palestinian state, side-by-side with the state of Israel.

The ceasefire would thus be the first step in a long list of steps to be taken by both the parties. A new diplomatic peace initiative, emphasising on simultaneous moves in all directions and by all the parties, is definitely on cards.

The Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal was reported as saying: "All the Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, are working on a paper that has all the conditions they will subscribe to for stopping the continued fighting."

The ceasefire would initially enable the Palestinians to hold elections next year, he added.

President Bush during his meeting with the Arab Foreign ministers' group, including the Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal, Jordanian Foreign Minister Marwan Moasher and the Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher, agreed to influence Israel to pull its troops out of the Occupied Territories.

Prince Saud said: "A ceasefire is a necessary element in order to hold elections, for the Palestinian state to be created."

Prince Bandar bin Sultan, Saudi Ambassador to Washington, who also attended the meeting with President Bush said: "The Palestinians right now are sitting and negotiating together and between them, and rationalising, 'Hey, do we want a state or not'?"

While giving out the details of the meeting with Bush earlier, the Jordanian foreign minister said the U.S. administration's support "is more solid than we thought."

Bush, he said, stressed his commitment to simultaneously move on security, political and economic fronts and meeting the three-year deadline the president set last month for full Palestinian statehood.

Observers believe the Americans are again emphasising to move in the direction of an overall peace in the region.

In a blunt move, the Arab side is also emphasising that Sharon should be removed for the sake of peace and tranquillity in the region. "The region will be in a turmoil if the Israeli Prime Minister remains in power," Al Faisal emphasised.

He blamed Sharon's attitudes for holding up the Middle East Peace Process and said he would be much more optimistic about peace prospects if the right-wing leader was 'not there'.

At this point in time when the Israeli government has been clamouring for the ouster of Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat, the comments by Al Faisal should be regarded as very important.