Deaglán de Bréadún
in Tel Aviv
Dismantling illegal Jewish settlements in the Palestinian territories would be "an important move ahead", the leader of Israel's opposition Labour Party, Mr Shimon Peres, said yesterday.
He called on the country's Prime Minister, Mr Ariel Sharon, to act quickly on the issue.
Mr Peres, a former prime minister, was speaking after a meeting in Tel Aviv with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, who is visiting the region on behalf of Ireland's European presidency.
Mr Peres questioned Mr Sharon's commitment to dismantling the outposts: "The only proof will be in doing it. As long as it has only been declared, it is (just) a declaration. If it would happen, I would think it's an important move ahead."
The prime minister should move ahead without delay: "One hundred per cent he should. The problem is, would he? To that I don't know the answer." Complaining about the lack of "movement", he continued: "Just by talk you cannot change a situation. Recently we were richer in talks than in acts, so the question is, are we going to become richer in acts, and here I feel a poor man."
The Nobel Peace Prize winner pointed out that the borders of the EU were getting closer to the Middle East all the time. Cyprus and Malta would become EU members in May, "and once Turkey will become a member, the EU will border with Syria and Iraq." He added: "We have to look for some fresh ideas that will introduce a little bit of energy into the road map. It is a good map but it doesn't move. We need some vehicles and some ideas to energise it, because right now we are at a stalemate."
On the security barrier built between Israel and the Palestinians, Mr Peres said: "Labour is for a fence but against the present orbit of the fence. The fence should serve security, it shouldn't be tempted by political considerations. It cannot be pregnant with annexations, for example, small or large." He added: "If it would follow the Green Line (the 1967 border between Israel and the Palestinian territories), we wouldn't have as many problems."
He spoke highly of the Palestinian Authority Prime Minister, Abu Ala (Ahmed Korei): "As a human being, as a politician, Abu Ala is one of the best among the Palestinians. He is wise, he is experienced, he is sophisticated, he is a patriot. But he's in an impossible situation." He continued: "Unless he will feel that he can come home and bring something real to his people, he will be in a very complicated situation, but I would do whatever we can to negotiate with Abu Ala. I think he is the best one can think of."
Asked if he still regarded the Palestinian President, Mr Yasser Arafat, as a viable peace partner, he replied: "I don't think in personal terms. I have faith in the Palestinian will and need to make peace, and Arafat will be a leader of the Palestinians as long as he will represent their wish. So it's not a personal question. Arafat was an impressive leader of the Palestinian underground. He failed the moment he . . . went to become head of state. He thought that the state is a continuation of an underground and there he failed."
Mr Peres said he was keen to visit Ireland, "to see the real green colour and the real strengths of modern science and technology: it's a nice combination". Mr Cowen said he was "welcome any time" and paid tribute to Mr Peres as "a very experienced statesman and politician".
Mr Cowen told an audience in Tel Aviv University that he was not in Israel to promote a specifically European perspective: "I am here to promote the road map, which is the common perspective of the international community and which has been adopted, let it be said, in fairness to both sides, by the people here."
Expressing optimism that a democratic, viable Palestinian state could be set up, he said: "They are probably the most western-oriented and secular Arab nation I know." Questioned about the use made of EU money by the Palestinian Authority, he admitted there had been problems but added: "There is no error-free party in relation to this conflict." He continued: "I believe that the integrity of the Finance Minister of the Palestinian Authority (Salam Fayyed) is beyond reproach."
In the course of a wide-ranging address, Mr Cowen said: "I am somewhat dismayed to read in the Israeli press that Ireland is somehow seen as being less friendly to Israel than most other member-states of the Union. I reject that notion. The Irish people want to see peace, security and justice for both Israelis and Palestinians. If Ireland is sometimes critical of the policies of the Israeli government it is not because we are hostile to Israel but because we genuinely believe that these policies will not lead to a lasting peace."