The Middle East mission of special U.S. envoy Anthony Zinni was suspended by President George W. Bush over the weekend, reportedly until Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat cracks down on terrorists and accounts for the Palestinian attempt to smuggle in arms on the Karine A. The suspension of the mediation mission came as the Bush administration considered additional sanctions against the PA in what Secretary of State Colin Powell determined was Arafat's "moment of truth."

Shortly after his mission was suspended, Zinni called Arafat an "unreformed liar" and compared him to a Mafia boss. Zinni likened Palestinian security chiefs to Mafia bosses who boast about their weapons and the number of enemies they have killed, according to a media reports. Speaking to a closed gathering of AIPAC (the American Israel Public Affairs Committee) officials and representatives of the Israeli Embassy, Zinni referred to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in warm terms, saying that Sharon had aided him on his mission.

President Bush expressed his disappointment in Arafat on

"This is in some ways a moment of truth for Chairman Arafat" - Sec. of State Colin Powell

Friday, in the severest American criticism of the Palestinian leader yet. Speaking to reporters in response to the suicide bombing in Tel Aviv, in which over 30 Israelis were wounded, Bush said, "I am disappointed in Yasser Arafat. He must make a full effort to rout out terror in the Middle East."

He then added, "Ordering up weapons that were intercepted on a boat headed for that part of the world is not part of fighting terror, that's enhancing terror, and obviously we're very disappointed in him."

Bush reportedly sent letters last week to the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt offering evidence of the Palestinian involvement in the Karine A weapons smuggling plot. The president asked the leaders to pressure Arafat to arrest suspected terrorists.

Senior Bush administration officials were reportedly divided over what additional measures to take against the Palestinian Authority. The administration stopped short of cutting ties with the Palestinians but threatened additional sanctions if Arafat did not move against terrorist organizations, deploy Palestinian police to prevent violence and prosecute those involved in the Karine A weapons shipment.

"This is in some ways a moment of truth for Chairman Arafat," Powell said in an interview with Jim Lehrer on PBS's "NewsHour" program. Administration officials, Powell said, are delivering "a clear, stern message to Mr. Arafat that [the terror attacks] must stop" and that the American commitment to aid the peace process could only continue if Arafat acted.

"I had a very long talk with Chairman Arafat...and once again pointed out to him the necessity for him taking strong, resolute, irreversible action to get terror under control," Powell said.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Vice President Dick Cheney have pushed in recent days for the White House to cut ties with the Palestinian Authority, CNN reported. Other options being considered include adding the Fatah's Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade to the State Department's list of foreign terrorist organizations and closing the PLO's Washington office.

The American's message to Arafat has been described as an ultimatum. "If you don't prove that you are seriously fighting terror, we will impose a number of sanctions against you," senior officials reportedly told the Palestinians, Israeli Army Radio reported.

Some American officials warned that cutting ties or imposing sanctions on the Palestinian Authority could lead to severe reactions in the Arab world and end all hopes of getting the peace process back on track in the near future, CNN reported. Other officials told the New York Times that it was unlikely that administration would sever all ties with Arafat and the PA, only because doing so would leave no diplomatic alternatives.

Meanwhile, recent statements by the Bush administration have been openly supportive of Israeli military responses to actions of Palestinian violence. "The President understands the reason that Israel has taken the action that it takes, and it is up to Chairman Arafat to demonstrate the leadership to combat terrorism," said White House spokesman Ari Fleischer on Thursday, stating for the first time American "understanding" for Israel's confinement of Arafat to his headquarters in Ramallah.

Mixed reactions in Israel to American policy changes
Senior officials in the Prime Minister's Office expressed satisfaction yesterday with President Bush's statement of "disappointment" in Arafat and claimed that the suspension of Zinni's mission would help in the war against terror.

Cabinet Secretary Gideon Sa'ar said Sharon would ask Bush at a White House meeting on February 7 "to continue the pressure on Arafat...and take sanctions" such as putting his personal security force on the State Department list of terrorist groups. Asked about the suspension of the Zinni mission, Sa'ar said: "The condition for its success is not his return (to the region) but Arafat carrying out his part by first dismantling the terrorist organizations."

But sources in the Foreign Ministry said the decision to suspend Zinni's mission was "surprising" because it was intended to bring about a cease-fire and a resumption of negotiations. The sources warned that the suspension of the mission meant the United States had decided "that both sides can continue to bleed," Ha'aretz reported.

Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said Zinni's mission was "important and essential, especially at a time when there is a complete lack of trust between the sides." Sources in the Defense Ministry told ynet that talks should not be of the suspension of Zinni's mission, but rather of when it could be renewed.

Opposition leader Yossi Sarid (Meretz), former Justice Minister Yossi Beilin and Tsali Reshef from Peace Now sent an urgent letter to Powell expressing the fear that the American actions would lead to the collapse of the Palestinian Authority. "In a situation where the sides have lost the ability to speak to each other, the humble mission of Zinni is the only hope to ease the violence," Beilin told Maariv.

Palestinians: U.S. moves will cause earthquake in Middle East
Palestinian officials warned of the consequences of American sanctions on the PA. Arafat's aide Nabil Abu Rudeineh said that if the U.S. cut its ties with the Palestinians it would cause an "earthquake" throughout the Middle East. Senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat feared that "the American statements would be understood by Sharon as a green light to escalate the aggression."

Arafat did not relate directly to President Bush's critical remarks, but told Reuters that the United States should undoubtedly be doing more to bring peace to the region. Speaking to Al-Jazeera television, Arafat likened himself and the Palestinians' struggle to that of George Washington fighting against the British. "Didn't George Washington wage a war against the British occupation using every weapon at his disposal and every means to bring about the United States?" Arafat asked.

After its weekly cabinet meeting on Friday, the Palestinian Authority called on the Palestinian public and all political groups to refrain from attacks "in Israel and against Israelis." Speaking to supporters demonstrating outside his Ramallah compound on Saturday, Arafat urged Palestinians to continue their "jihad… until victory" and asked to be allowed to become one of "holy Jerusalem's martyrs."

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