Addressing an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council on 29 March 2002 Secretary‐General Kofi Annan urged representatives of the nations present at the meeting to consider “how the international community can help the parties get back to the table”, meaning, presumably, the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
The Secretary‐General said: “I would urge that they [Prime Minister Sharon and Chairman Arafat] make every effort to take advantage of the outcome of the Arab League Summit in Beirut, which outlined a widely welcomed vision for full peace in the region.”
But the problem is that the persons he addresses are not the parties who can resolve the issue. Neither of them can stop the suicide bombings.
Chairman Arafat's authority does not extend to those Palestinian refugees who are seeking to redress the injustice of being expelled from their homes still in 1948 (some 3–4 millions people).
Nor can President Sharon stop the suicide bombings. His attempts to stop them by attacking the Palestinians and Chairman Arafat himself only encourage more attacks by the Palestinians.
Calling on President Sharon and Chairman Arafat will clearly not stop the hostilities.
It is President Bush of the United States of America who can convert the Saudi Peace Plan proposed at the Arab League Summit in Beirut into a workable resolution of the half‐century‐old conflict. Because only he can offer a just solution to the problem of the Palestinian refugees, which will stop the suicide bomber attacks. And only he can make President Sharon stop his attacks on the Palestinians and withdraw the Israeli troops from the Palestinian territories.
And it is President Bush of the United States of America whom Secretary‐General Kofi Annan should urge to resolve the crisis, if he wants his calls to be of any effect. And, if all the other heads of state join Secretary‐General Kofi Annan in his call, then President Bush might even do it.
To learn how President Bush can make the Saudi Plan work click here.