Progress, No Peace :: essays research papers

JERUSALEM -- As Secretary of State Colin L. Powell prepared to head home today without a formal cease-fire between Israelis and Palestinians, he said five days of talks with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat brought some progress. Powell's ambitious effort to halt the bloody conflict between Israelis and Palestinians was scheduled to conclude today with a final meeting with Arafat. But few analysts expected a hard promise by Arafat to rein in armed militants and suicide bombers or a firm pledge from Israel to withdraw its troops quickly from recently occupied areas of the West Bank. As Powell pressed for progress toward a cease-fire, fast-moving Israeli armored columns swooped into several cities and villages on the West Bank in what appeared to be short-term operations Tuesday. In Tulkarem, troops arrested four Palestinians whom they accused of plotting a suicide bomb attack targeting today's Israel Independence Day celebrations. Officials offered no details. Tanks also rolled into three Palestinian suburbs of Jerusalem, with troops declaring a curfew and forcing thousands of residents to remain in their homes while searches were conducted for militants and suspected terrorists. The military confirmed the action, describing it as part of a high security alert surrounding the celebration of the Jewish state's 54th year. Palestinians called the latest raids a sign of arrogance. "These incursions are taking place even as Secretary Powell is in the country seeking solutions," said Ahmed Qureia, speaker of the Palestinian Parliament. "There must be an end to these incursions and a complete withdrawal from Palestinian villages and cities before there can be discussions of peace." The Israeli military, meanwhile, called its massive military campaign in the West Bank a success despite international condemnation of its aggressive charge into Palestinian-ruled territories, which has devastated several cities as well as the Jenin refugee camp. "The terrorist infrastructure has been dealt a severe blow," said Maj. Gen. Aharon Zeevi, director of military intelligence, describing Monday's capture of Arafat lieutenant Marwan Barghouti in the West Bank city of Ramallah as a major coup. "They can still make terror. But we have hit them hard. And the longer we have, the more we can hit them." Powell, who met with Sharon for the third time Tuesday night, was scheduled to make another passage to the besieged headquarters of Arafat in Ramallah today in one last bid to persuade the Palestinian leader to call for a suspension of the bloody 18-month uprising.