The Independent, Israel was unusually critical of its main ally, America, yesterday, after Colin Powell, the Secretary of State, agreed to meet the principal authors of an unofficial, alternative peace plan. The Israeli deputy premier Ehud Olmert said General Powell was “making a mistake”. He was standing in for the Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who is on sick leave.
Mr Sharon's government has furiously denounced the “Geneva Accord” peace plan, launched at a ceremony in Switzerland on Monday. The accord, negotiated by Israeli opposition politicians and intellectuals and Palestinian former ministers, maps out a comprehensive settlement.
General Powell is to meet the accord's main backers from each side, Yossi Beilin and Yasser abed Rabbo, on Friday. Using unusually harsh language, Mr Olmert said yesterday of General Powell: “I think that he is not being useful to the peace process …This is an incorrect step by a senior representative of the American administration. I am certain of his friendship but I would cast doubt on his judgement in this matter.”
Israel does not usually challenge its superpower backer so directly. Mr Olmert is known to be close to Mr Sharon, and often speaks for the Prime Minister.
The rebuke comes after Israel has defied the US on a series of issues, refusing to change the route of its “separation fence”, and insisting on continuing to expand Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Mr Sharon appears to be calculating that, with President George Bush facing re-election next year amid Iraqi woes, he can afford to be direct.
Mr Sharon's government has denounced the Geneva Accord but the US has said it welcomes the alternative peace proposal. Many observers believe the Israeli government's fury is because the accord exposes Mr Sharon's claim there is no partner for negotiations on the Palestinian side as untrue.
For a second successive day, the Israeli army raided a Palestinian city yesterday, this time Jenin, in the north of the West Bank. One man was shot dead.
