WASHINGTON — With the White House visits by Palestinian and Israeli leaders now over, the United States hopes to generate momentum behind the latest Middle East peace plan by making progress on three pivotal security and political issues over the next few weeks.
But in contrast to the fanfare and summitry surrounding the U.S.-backed "road map" since it was unveiled in April, the key now is quiet progress, to prevent reaction to what may include unpopular decisions by both governments, U.S. officials say.
To end growing tension over a new security fence, the United States has asked Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to consider modifications that would pull the barrier back from West Bank land or create access in places where Palestinian property is divided and keep future construction to the so-called Green Line that divides Israel from the West Bank, according to U.S. officials.
"The core idea is to ensure no Palestinian land is confiscated," a senior U.S. official said Thursday.
In consultation with his Cabinet, Sharon has promised to "review" the plans for the barrier and find ways to deal with the "inconvenience and harm" to the local population, an Israeli diplomat said Thursday.
President Bush last week said he had problems with the barrier. But in their meeting here Tuesday, Bush was unable to get Sharon to agree to either dismantle existing segments or halt future construction. Instead, U.S. and Israeli officials say, they are trying to find compromises that minimize civilian suffering.
Israel announced Thursday that the first section of the 370-mile barrier has been completed. The second section of what Israelis call a "fence" and Palestinians label a "wall of separation" is due to be finished by year's end.
"Concluding the fence is a matter of many months. It's very long, and there's a lot of money involved," said Zalman Shoval, a former Israeli ambassador to the U.S. "Practical ways can be found for Palestinian landowners and farmers to go through agreed-on gates and openings."
Washington also is pressing the Palestinians to make the opening moves against militants, steps such as passing laws that would make it illegal to carry weapons in public and dismantling workshops where militants are allegedly now enhancing the range of their rockets to target Israeli cities.
Israel has told the United States that these Palestinian measures are critical to creating an environment in which Israel can make concessions on the fence, the Israeli and U.S. sources added.
