Hardliners mock American 'hypocrisy'

Israelis were shown on American TV last night sneering and mocking US Secretary of State Colin Powell for his demand to Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon to "take a hard look at your policies to see whether they work".

The footage illustrated to Americans the hardline attitude among Israelis which is causing concern to President Bush.

Pedestrians in Jerusalem interviewed by ABC taunted Colin Powell with hypocrisy. "We don't care what Secretary Powell thinks, we have no choice but to continue these attacks," said one. Another said: "Colin Powell should be embarrassed. The US kills thousands of people in Afghanistan, and then the Secretary of State criticises us for killing a few Arabs?"

President Bush is worried about hardline Israeli public opinion. It prompted him to announce he is sending his Middle East envoy, Anthony Zinni, back to the region in an attempt to halt the daily exchanges of killing and reprisals.

The decision came as a surprise, and a hint that Israeli attitudes have become anti-American since the Secretary of State's broadside. Hours before Mr Bush's announcement, his press secretary, Ari Fleischer, said Mr Zinni would not return unless there was an "opening".

"I am deeply concerned about the tragic loss of life and the escalating violence," the president-said. He called on Mr Sharon and others to "do everything they can" to end the mayhem. His security team has told him a more focused US involvement might stop the violence.

Mr Bush suggested that the best route to peace is for both sides to accept a truce plan proposed last year by CIA director George Tenet, whereby Israel would remove its travel bans on Palestinians and withdraw its troops to positions held before fighting started in September 2000. Palestinians would arrest suspected militants and stop the attacks on Israelis.

Trying to dispel the belief that he is aloof from the Middle East crisis, Mr Bush promised that the US "will do all it can" to defuse the situation. He added he does not think Yasser Arafat is doing all he could to stop the violence and did not join in the criticism of Israel.

Colin Powell himself eased back from his reprimand of Mr Sharon, calling the prime minister "reasonable" in wanting to reduce the violence before starting peace negotiations. "Israel is faced with a legitimate selfdefence situation," he told Congress, "but they have to be very careful with the means they use to defend their people."

In the "even-handed" vein ridiculed by the Israelis interviewed by ABC, Colin Powell said: "I don't see the strategies being used by both sides will lead to a successful outcome."

Mr Sharon has already answered the Secretary of State's advice that Israel cannot expect to solve the problem by "seeing how many Palestinians can be killed". In a statement, Mr Sharon's office said the war was started by the Palestinian Authority, and would only end when Mr Arafat ordered an end to the attacks.

"Israel is only fighting back against the terrorist organisation in the context of its right to self-defence. The one who initiated this war has the power to stop it, but he continues to prefer the war of terrorism."