Israel does not intend to make any concessions against its own interests in order to facilitate the creation of an international anti-terrorist coalition, a top spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Wednesday.
Avi Pazner was quoted by AFP as saying that "Israel has proved in the past that we know how to act to make our rights be respected.
"We are ready to do anything we can to help our American friends build an anti-terrorist coalition, but we will not consent to anything going against our vital interests," he said.
US President George W. Bush endorsed Tuesday the creation of a Palestinian state, signaling a significant shift from the hands-off approach he took towards the year-long Palestinian uprising against 34 years of Israeli military occupation.
The previous approach of the White House had generated sharp criticism from Arab states.
Bush’s move was seen as a bid to lure moderate Arab and Muslim states into a global alliance against terrorism.
"The idea of a Palestinian state has always been part of a vision, so long as the right of Israel to exist is respected," he told reporters in the White House Oval Office.
Commenting on the statement, Pazner said "this declaration by President Bush is part of American efforts to build a coalition."
Bush's comments were welcomed by Arab countries, although there have been some suggestions that they were motivated only by his desire to put together an anti-terror coalition – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
