[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 38, Number 18 (Monday, May 6, 2002)]
[Pages 699-701]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks on the Situation in the Middle East and an Exchange With 
Reporters in Crawford, Texas

April 28, 2002

    The President. Good afternoon. I am pleased by today's developments 
in the Middle East and believe they'll prove to be important steps along 
the path to peace in the Middle East.
    I commend the Israeli Cabinet for its decision this morning to allow 
Chairman Arafat to move freely, to accept international monitoring of 
six prisoners who are at Chairman Arafat's compound, and to withdraw its 
forces from Ramallah. The Palestinian Authority has agreed to accept 
this approach.
    Many parties contributed to today's positive development. The United 
Kingdom played an especially important role in creating a framework for 
international monitoring of the six prisoners.
    I've called on all parties to step up their responsibilities, and 
today's developments are a positive sign that they are doing so.
    Much hard work remains, and this is a time for all of us to commit 
to fight terror and to promote peace in the Middle East. Chairman Arafat 
should now seize this opportunity to act decisively, in word and in 
deed, against terror directed at Israeli citizens. As we work to improve 
the security situation in the region, all of us must step up our efforts 
to bring humanitarian relief and economic assistance to the Palestinian 
people.
    This morning I called Crown Prince Abdullah to thank him for his 
visit to the United States. Our discussions forged a personal bond of 
friendship and strengthened the 60-year relationship between the United 
States and Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince has offered a number of 
constructive ideas for making political progress between Israel and the 
Palestinians. We will continue to build on these ideas as we move 
forward to fight terror and to promote peace in the Middle East.
    I'll answer a couple of questions. Sonya [Sonya Ross, Associated 
Press].

Saudi Peace Plan

    Q. Mr. President, on the Saudi peace plan, where are the points of 
objection that you've not been able to agree upon?
    The President. Well, they came with some constructive ideas, and we 
listened very carefully to their ideas, and we will continue to work 
with them and others in the region to promote them. I believe that there 
is a lot of common ground, starting with all parties assuming 
responsibility--their responsibilities.
    The Crown Prince clearly understood there is a responsibility for 
the Arab world. He also believes strongly that Chairman Arafat must step 
up and believes that Israel should withdraw from the territories. And 
that is taking place now.
    Patsy [Patricia Wilson, Reuters].

[[Page 700]]

Ramallah/Bethlehem/Jenin

    Q. Mr. President, is today's proposal that was accepted by Mr. 
Sharon and Mr. Arafat a model for lifting the siege in Bethlehem? And 
are you concerned that the Israelis have not allowed the U.N. monitors 
into Jenin yet?
    The President. Well, first of all, on the Jenin issue, that's being 
worked out now at the U.N.
    And secondly, in terms of Bethlehem, I believe we're making good 
progress toward ending that part of the Israeli incursion, and hopefully 
it will get done soon.
    But the big news, of course, is Ramallah, and Chairman Arafat is now 
free to move around and free to lead. And we expect him to do so.

Situation in the Middle East

    Q. Mr. President----
    The President. Okay, Stretch.
    Q. ----on that point, what would you expect to see from Chairman 
Arafat in the next 24, 48, 72 hours in terms of explicit demonstrations 
of his leadership?
    The President. Well, of course, one of the things that Chairman 
Arafat must do is condemn and thwart terrorist activities. And it's 
important he do so.
    Again, I keep saying this, and it's so important for all of us 
involved in this process to recognize there are clear responsibilities. 
And his responsibility is just what I said, to renounce, to help detect 
and stop terrorist killings. The Israelis have got responsibilities.
    The key responsibility for the world at large is to help end the 
suffering of the Palestinian people through humanitarian and economic 
assistance. I am very serious about our Government's involvement in a--
in humanitarian relief. I--my heart grieves for a people who have no 
hope, and there are a lot of people who have no hope in the Middle East. 
There are some Palestinians--a lot of Palestinians who wonder whether or 
not life is worth living. And we've got, as a world, have got to help 
them understand there is a positive life ahead for they and their 
children.
    There is--people in Israel, of course, are deeply concerned about 
their security, and I can completely understand that. And therefore, all 
of us--Arab nation, Palestinians, United States, the EU--must all 
continue our collective effort to fight terror.
    There are clearly people in the Middle East who would use terror as 
a weapon to derail any peace process. And for there to be peace--
something I long for and something I know that Israel and the 
Palestinian people long for--in order for there to be peace, we must 
continue to rout out terror. And the message can't be more clear, and 
we're going to continue to hold people accountable for results.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel

    Q. Did you invite Mr. Sharon to visit?
    The President. As I understand--yes, we did. Listen, I'm pleased 
anytime people want to come and visit. We've had the King of Morocco; 
we've had Crown Prince Abdullah, obviously. And when I talked to him on 
the phone this weekend, the subject didn't come up, but as--I understand 
that there is a--discussions going on about a potential trip. I welcome 
a trip here to the United States. I welcome people from that part of the 
world to come and bare their soul and discuss their plans for peace.
    The thing I always look for when I talk to the leaders is a vision 
for peace. It's impossible to achieve a peace unless there's a vision. 
And one of the things I appreciated about the Saudi initiative a while 
ago was it laid out a potential peace process, a plan for peace, a way 
to get to peace in the region--something we all long for.

Chairman Yasser Arafat of the Palestinian Authority

    Q. Are you ready to include Arafat in that open invitation? Are you 
ready now to include Arafat in that open invitation?
    The President. Mr. Arafat must perform. Mr. Arafat must do his job. 
I've called upon Mr. Arafat in the past; I'll continue to call upon Mr. 
Arafat to lead. The other day--somebody asked me one time, a while ago, 
they said, ``Has he disappointed you? Has he lost your respect?'' I 
said, ``Well, he hasn't earned my respect yet. He must earn my respect 
by leading.'' And there are a lot of people, a lot of Palestinians who 
are suffering, and now is the time for him to step up.

[[Page 701]]

    This has been a hopeful day for the region, and we must continue to 
press forward to peace.
    I want to thank you all.

Note: The President spoke at 4:25 p.m. at the Bush Ranch.