How can we have any hope of the Saudi peace initiative taking hold when the Palestinians can't even agree on a cease-fire?
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat decided Tuesday he wasn't going to the Arab League summit in Beirut. His reason was that Israel would not guarantee that he would be allowed to return to his Ramallah headquarters.
But the facts don't match his pronouncements. Israel said Arafat could go to the summit and return home as long as he makes an announcement in Arabic telling his people that a cease-fire is under way and if no terror attacks take place during his absence.
In other words, all Israel was asking was for a few days without bloodshed. A few days without any young Jewish children massacred in restaurants, on busses and on Israeli streets.
But Arafat refused.
Last week Arafat was promised a meeting with Vice President Dick Cheney that would take place as soon as he renounces terrorism. But Arafat didn't come through.
What can the Saudi peace initiative accomplish if Arafat won't even sign a simple cease-fire agreement?
As a partner for peace, Arafat is indeed irrelevant, as Israel Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has said. And Wednesday's suicide bombing during a seder at a Netanya hotel, killing 19 and wounding up to 130, confirms what we've known all along. It's time that the Bush administration recognize Arafat for what he is -- a terrorist.
U.S. envoy Anthony Zinni is making his third attempt to negotiate a cease-fire. If he fails once again, it will be because of Arafat's refusal to sign on. At that point, the Bush administration should end any future contacts with Arafat.
The United States can continue to communicate with other Palestinian leaders, but there should be no further dealings with Arafat.
It must be made clear to the Palestinian people that an end to violence is possible but not as long as they are represented by someone who incites the violence.
While we can't pick their leaders, we certainly don't need to deal with one who seems to oppose peace.