Palestinians sceptical of U.S. roadmap

Palestinians were sceptical of George W. Bush's vow to revive the Middle East peace process. "Bush has so far said nothing about the implementation of the roadmap," said top Arafat adviser, Nabil Abu Rudeina.

"Anything short of that will not yield any results. It is not enough."
"It's time to turn the political vision of Mr. Bush into reality on the ground," added chief negotiator Saeb Erakat.

In a brief statement at the White House Friday, Bush said the so-called "roadmap" for peace would be unveiled after Arafat appointed a Palestinian premier with "real authority" - especially over internal security forces - possibly as early as next week.

The roadmap, drafted by the diplomatic quartet on the Middle East - the United States, the United Nations, the European Union and Russia - calls for a series of measures leading to an end to Palestinian militant attacks against Israelis and an independent Palestinian state by 2005.

Israel hailed Bush's stance with Ariel Sharon's diplomatic adviser saying that Bush was aiming to push the Palestinians to empower their future prime minister.

Arafat agreed last month to appoint a premier in the face of heavy international pressure to reform. He offered the post to his deputy, Palestine Liberation Organisation number two Mahmoud Abbas, who said he would accept if the job had teeth.

Saudi Arabia welcomed Bush's announcement, but called for urgent steps on the ground, the SPA news agency reported.

"Saudi Arabia, while welcoming these assurances, calls for the need to move quickly toward starting the implemention of the roadmap and principles of the Arab peace plan," SPA said, quoting a government spokesman.

The spokesman also called for "tangible and effective measures to move the peace process forward and end the deadlock, including halting the continuous Israeli aggressive practices against the unarmed Palestinian people, providing protection to them and stopping Israeli settlement activity in the occupied Arab lands."

These measures should lead to the establishment of the "independent Palestinian state," the spokesman added.

Following the announcement Friday, Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz discussed by telephone with Bush "the situation in the region, particularly the Palestinian question."

In the West Bank, 10 Palestinian militants, including eight members of the Hamas and two others, were nabbed by the Israeli army, military sources said.

All West Bank towns, except for Jericho, have been reoccupied by the Israeli army since June 2002 in a bid to dismantle militant cells.

Palestinian security sources said all men aged between 15 to 35 had been barred by Israel from leaving the territories for an indefinite period of time. The army could not immediately confirm the information.

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