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US clings to dimmed Mideast peace hopes
The United States clung to hope of reviving Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, despite five days of violence that swept the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Arab towns in Israel, further clouding prospects for a deal.
The United States clung to hope of reviving Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, despite five days of violence that swept the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Arab towns in Israel, further clouding prospects for a deal.
President Bill Clinton on Monday told reporters he believed the Israeli and Palestinian leaders were now trying to restore calm, and said that he hoped and expected the situation would improve by Tuesday.
''I think it will be better tomorrow, I hope it will,'' Clinton said.
US National Security Council Spokesman P J Crowley said later that Clinton's remark was based on a US belief that both sides ''appreciate the sense of urgency.'' Clinton said that he hoped the shock of the violence would prove a spur to a settlement, which he is trying to reach before he leaves office in January. But he acknowledged the peace process was frozen until calm is restored.
''They can't do anything on the peace process until people stop dying and the violence stops. But when the smoke clears here it might actually be a spur to both sides and a sober reminder to what the alternative to peace could be,'' Clinton said. ''We have to hope and pray that will be the result.'' The violence, which erupted from a Jerusalem site holy to Muslims and Jews, has left 48 people dead over the past 5 days and halted the peace process at a time all sides acknowledge the window of opportunity for a deal is closing.
''There's no question that what has been happening the last few days is a tragedy, and perhaps even an even greater tragedy than usual because we are close to coming to some solution,'' US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said in Paris. The US diplomatic focus in the region has shifted entirely to urging the Israeli and Palestinian leaders to restore calm, White House Spokesman Jake Siewert said.
''Sooner or later, these differences are going to have to be resolved at the negotiating table. We think it's important that the violence stop so that we can get back and begin that work sooner rather than later,'' Siewert said.
The United States would make an assessment of how to proceed once the violence ends, White House Spokeswoman Nanda Chitre said. Bureau Report
''I think it will be better tomorrow, I hope it will,'' Clinton said.
US National Security Council Spokesman P J Crowley said later that Clinton's remark was based on a US belief that both sides ''appreciate the sense of urgency.'' Clinton said that he hoped the shock of the violence would prove a spur to a settlement, which he is trying to reach before he leaves office in January. But he acknowledged the peace process was frozen until calm is restored.
''They can't do anything on the peace process until people stop dying and the violence stops. But when the smoke clears here it might actually be a spur to both sides and a sober reminder to what the alternative to peace could be,'' Clinton said. ''We have to hope and pray that will be the result.'' The violence, which erupted from a Jerusalem site holy to Muslims and Jews, has left 48 people dead over the past 5 days and halted the peace process at a time all sides acknowledge the window of opportunity for a deal is closing.
''There's no question that what has been happening the last few days is a tragedy, and perhaps even an even greater tragedy than usual because we are close to coming to some solution,'' US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said in Paris. The US diplomatic focus in the region has shifted entirely to urging the Israeli and Palestinian leaders to restore calm, White House Spokesman Jake Siewert said.
''Sooner or later, these differences are going to have to be resolved at the negotiating table. We think it's important that the violence stop so that we can get back and begin that work sooner rather than later,'' Siewert said.
The United States would make an assessment of how to proceed once the violence ends, White House Spokeswoman Nanda Chitre said. Bureau Report