Jordan's King to tell Bush: Delay Iraq, lean on Israel

KING ABDULLAH of Jordan will this week challenge President Bush to live up to his promise of a Palestinian state by urging him to produce a Middle East “action plan” with firm deadlines and timetables.
He will tell Mr Bush that unless emergency aid is sent to relieve suffering in Gaza and the West Bank, desperation will push more Palestinians into extremism and terrorism.

In an interview with The Times, the King made clear that when he meets Mr Bush on Wednesday he will demand full backing for Colin Powell, the embattled US Secretary of State, against the Pentagon hawks who are “fixated on Iraq”. He gave a warning that any American action against Iraq would open a “Pandora’s box” in the Middle East.

The King will also admit that Arab countries must do more to flesh out their own peace proposals which, he says, offer Israel far more than Washington or Jerusalem realise. Arab Governments must now make clear that they will guarantee “everything that Israel wants from them”.

In an extraordinary, wide-ranging interview, King Abdullah criticised Mr Bush’s call for Yassir Arafat’s removal, saying that this only boosted the Palestinian leader’s popularity and set back Palestinian moves to oust him.