DATE=05/13/2002

TYPE=EDITORIAL

NUMBER=0-09881

TITLE=EDITORIAL: BUSH ON PALESTINIAN REFORM

INTERNET=YES

CONTENT=THIS EDITORIAL IS BEING RELEASED FOR USE BY ALL SERVICES.

Anncr: Next, an editorial reflecting the views of the United States Government:

Voice: As President George W. Bush has stressed, the United States supports "the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for a Palestinian state. Israel has recognized the goal of a Palestinian state. . . . The outlines of a just settlement are clear," said Mr. Bush. "Two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side, in peace and security."

But "In order for there to be peace," said President Bush, "we must rout out terror." Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat recently spoke in Arabic against terrorism. And in response to a suicide bombing that killed at least fifteen Israelis near Tel Aviv on May 7th, Mr. Arafat ordered the arrest of some members of the Hamas terrorist group. "That's a positive development," said Mr. Bush. "Now it's up to Chairman Arafat to perform, to keep them in jail."

Up until now, as President Bush said, Chairman Arafat "has let the Palestinian people down. He hasn't led. And as a result, the Palestinians suffer and my heart breaks for the Palestinian moms and dads who wonder whether or not their children are going to be able to get a good education and whether or not there's going to be a job available for their children."

Mr. Bush said that institutions need to be put in place "so that a potential Palestinian state can be a peaceful neighbor with Israel." Such reforms, he said, include "making sure there is a single command security force that can be held accountable for arresting terrorists; reforms such as having a kind of economic system that would help promote rule of law and defeat corruption; reform so that if there is ever a rebuilding campaign -- which we've expressed an interest in doing and the Europeans have -- that the money is actually spent on the projects that we intend [it] to be spent on."

As White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said, the U.S. is "looking to the Palestinian people and officials in the Palestinian Authority to take the actions that are worthy of a potential country. And those actions are dedication to rule of law, transparency, a fight against corruption, the very simple and reasonable things that all reasonable minded people around the world look to from potential countries or potential leaders to create stability in violent regions."

In short, as Mr. Fleischer put it, "The best way to help the Palestinian people is to have a Palestinian Authority that is concerned about the people and takes action for the people."

Anncr: That was an editorial reflecting the views of the United States Government. If you have a comment, please write to Editorials, V-O-A, Washington, D-C, 20237, U-S-A. You may also comment at www-dot-ibb-dot-gov-slash-editorials, or fax us at (202) 619-1043.