Bush faces barrage of criticism over Gaza

[Violet_Crumble]

The US President, George Bush, is facing unprecedented domestic criticism of his Middle East policy after about 50 former senior US diplomats published an open letter accusing the White House of destroying the chances of a negotiated Israeli-Palestinian peace.

The unusual move followed Mr Bush's endorsement of a plan by the Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, unilaterally to withdraw settlers and troops from the Gaza Strip, while Israel also annexed other territory in the West Bank without the agreement of the indigenous Palestinians.

"By closing the door to negotiations with Palestinians and the possibility of a Palestinian state, you have proved that the US is not an even-handed peace partner," the letter said. "You have placed US diplomats, civilians and military doing their jobs overseas in an untenable and even dangerous position."

Weary leaders in Jerusalem, Washington and New York were yesterday combing through the wreckage of the latest attempt to break the bloody Middle East stalemate, less than three weeks after it was introduced.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/05/04/1083635133640.html