Arab moderates authorize Bush to complete his program

It seemed from the "half an hour" summit which was held in Sharm Esh Sheikh yesterday that the five Arab leaders who took part in it authorized the US President George W. Bush to complete his work plan in the region, being in Palestine through concentrating on halting the Intifada and linking it to terrorism, or in Iraq where the Arab side seemed to be remarkably neutral, giving no hints to the war Iraq was exposed to or the occupation it undergoes currently.

As Bush had neglected to remark to Syria and Lebanon in his final statement, it was also remarkable that the same was done in the speech delivered by President Hosni Mubarak following the summit.

It was clear that the use of the word terrorism was not limited to the terrorism of al-Qaida organization, rather includes the Palestinian resistance. Bush expressed that when he said in front of the Arab leaders that " terrorism threatens my country and the Arab states also, Israel and the foundation of a Palestinian state and it should be fought and defeated." President Bush had himself ridden the golf car with Mubarak beside him and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah behind.

As soon as the summit which was attended in addition to Mubarak, Bush, Mahmoud Abbas, the Saudi crown prince, the King of Bahrain and the King of Jordan was concluded, the US Secretary Of State Colin Powell warned the chairman of the Palestinian authority Yasser Arafat against obstructing the settlement process, describing him as a "failure."

In a press conference Powell said " should Arafat obstructs everything or tries so, I hope then he will be resisted by all Arab leaders who have come here today and that such acts will also provoke the international group."