U.S. and Israeli leaders dismissed an opinion piece written by Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat, in which the Palestinian leader condemned terrorism and called for an end of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as mere words and demanded actions instead. U.S. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice described "The Palestinian vision of peace," published in the New York Times on Sunday, as "not helpful."

Speaking on "Fox News Sunday," Rice said that if Arafat, as leader of the Palestinian people, "wants to achieve the vision that he's laying out here, he knows how to do it, and it begins with dealing with the terrorists in his midst."

Rice said the Bush administration was "asking nothing

"Now what we need is action against terrorism" - U.S. Sec. of State Colin Powell

more of Chairman Arafat than we have asked of every other leader in the world." Rice said that so far, the Americans have not "seen 100 percent effort" on Arafat's part to fight terror. "He has not done enough, and it is very clear that he can do more to disable the terrorist networks."

The U.S. administration's hard line pressuring Arafat was also echoed by Secretary of State Colin Powell. Powell said on CBS's "Face the Nation" program on Sunday that he was pleased Arafat condemned terrorism in his article. "Now what we need is action against terrorism," he said, adding that Arafat needed to do more to rein in the terrorist organizations, including Force 17 and Tanzim, as well as speak out to Palestinians strongly and frequently against terrorism.

Israel not persuaded by Arafat's words
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Sunday that he was not persuaded by Arafat's words, and the relative moderate tone of his article. "He talks incessantly. Certainly the comments were written in softer language, but he is excellent when it comes to talking," Sharon said, interviewed by Israeli Channel Two television.

Sharon's aide Ra'anan Gissin told CNN that "it was time Arafat stopped talking and started acting."

Referring to the article, Sharon aide and former Israeli ambassador to the United Nations Dore Gold said, "It was moderate in tone, but offered nothing new in terms of content... Arafat condemns Palestinian terrorist attacks, but doesn't mention that half of these come from his own forces. How can he condemn attacks on the one hand but give a green light with the other?"

He added, "Arafat condemns terror in English, but he still calls for jihad (holy war) in Arabic," referring to Arafat's speeches before Palestinian supporters in which he has declared his own willingness to become a "shahid" (martyr) in the battle for Jerusalem.

Another adviser to Sharon described the Arafat article as a "publicity stunt," Ha'aretz reported, as its publication was timed to appear just days before Sharon's meeting with President George W. Bush in Washington.

At the World Economic Forum in New York, Foreign Affairs Minister Shimon Peres welcomed Arafat's article, saying it marked the first time Arafat indicated "that he is ready to discuss" key issues. "If Arafat will do what he has said, it is a good beginning," Peres said.

Arafat ready to end conflict
After 16 months of "a catastrophic cycle of violence," Arafat felt that it was time "for the Palestinians to state clearly, and for the world to hear clearly, the Palestinian vision."

In his article, Arafat strongly condemned terrorism. "I condemn the attacks carried out by terrorist groups against Israeli civilians. These groups do not represent the Palestinian people or their legitimate aspirations for freedom. They are terrorist organizations, and I am determined to put an end to their activities," Arafat wrote.

"The Palestinian vision of peace is an independent and viable Palestinian state on the territories occupied by Israel in 1967… The Palestinians recognized Israel's right to exist on 78 percent of historical Palestine with the understanding that we would be allowed to live in freedom on the remaining 22 percent, which has been under Israeli occupation since 1967."

Arafat referred to the right of return for Palestinian refugees, the issue believed by analysts to be one of the main reasons that previous final status negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians had failed. "We seek a fair and just solution to the plight of Palestinian refugees who for 54 years have not been permitted to return to their homes. We understand Israel's demographic concerns and understand that the right of return of Palestinian refugees… must be implemented in a way that takes into account such concerns."

In conclusion, Arafat wrote, "Palestinians are ready to end the conflict. We are ready to sit down now with any Israeli leader, regardless of his history, to negotiate freedom for the Palestinians, a complete end of the occupation, security for Israel and creative solutions to the plight of the refugees while respecting Israel's demographic concerns."

Right of return back at top of agenda
The Jerusalem Post wrote that Arafat's "seemingly conciliatory op-ed… is an indication that Israel's isolation campaign is working." For the first time, the paper's editorial pointed out, Arafat said the "Palestinian 'right of return' must take into account Israel's demographic concerns," but cautioned that this was nothing to get excited about as the "whole idea that Palestinians have a 'right' to move to Israel - while all Israelis living in the disputed territories must be summarily evicted - is a non-starter for Israel."

Writing in Ha'aretz, Danny Rubinstein pointed out, "Every word in Yasser Arafat's op-ed article was… constructed to present the Palestinian position in the best light and to emphasize its condemnation of terrorism." Though Arafat's reference to the "right of return" was careful and evasive, for the first time taking into consideration Israel's "demographic concerns," Rubinstein wrote that there was little support among Palestinians for this moderate approach to the issue.

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