Subscribe to Print Edition | Wed., March 26, 2008 Adar2 20, 5768 | | Israel Time: 02:36 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Rosner's Domain
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Advertising
Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert (right) shaking hands with U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney during a meeting in Jerusalem on Monday. (GPO)
Last update - 13:11 24/03/2008
Cheney: Syria and Iran helping Hamas torpedo peace process
By The Associated Press
Tags: Dick Cheney, Israel 

U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney said on Monday that Hamas, with support from Syria and Iran, is trying to torpedo peace talks between the Palestinians and Israel.

Speaking to reporters after a breakfast meeting with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Cheney said, "It is clearly a difficult situation, in part, because I think it's true, there's evidence that Hamas is supported by Iran and Syria and that they're doing everything they can to torpedo the peace process."

Government spokesman Mark Regev said the two men had a good meeting. "They discussed a range of issues, including the peace process, terrorism, and threats to regional security," he said.
Advertisement
Cheney said in his meeting Sunday with Palestinian leaders that they talked about efforts under way in Yemen to encourage reconciliation between moderate and militant Palestinians.

He told reporters he did not believe Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas would agree to reconcile with Hamas until the Islamist group gave up control of the Gaza Strip.

"My conclusion after talking about this with the Palestinians is that they have established some preconditions before they would ever consider a reconciliation, including a complete reversal of the Hamas takeover of Gaza," Cheney said.

Cheney said one of the ongoing concerns of all the parties involved in the peace process is the extent to which arms are being smuggled across the Egyptian border into Gaza.

"It's a continuing problem," he said. "All of that obviously has resulted in the ongoing activity of launching rockets into Israel and threatening the lives of Israelis and obviously making it difficult for there to be the kind of progress that I think we would all like to see."

After his breakfast with Olmert - their second meeting in two days - Cheney headed to Turkey to meet with President Abdullah Gul.

Asked whether the U.S. supports the Yemeni mediation effort to bridge differences between Hamas and Fatah, a senior administration official said that the United States has made it clear that it will not support working with Hamas unless there is a fundamental change in the group's current role, which the U.S. describes as terrorist.

Israel has been conducting peace talks with President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah-led government in the West Bank, while simultaneously battling Hamas in Gaza.

Earlier Sunday, Cheney met with Palestinian President Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah, and told the Palestinian leader that the Qassam rockets regularly fired from the Gaza Strip into Israeli communities and Palestinian terror "do not merely kill innocent civilians. They also kill the legitimate hopes and aspirations of the Palestinian people."

Commenting on the 4,000th American death in Iraq, Cheney said the milestone may have a psychological effect on the American public.

"You regret every casualty, every loss," he said. "The president is the one that has to make that decision to send young men and women into harm's way. It never gets any easier."

In recalling his talks last week with the kind of Saudi Arabia, Cheney would not say whether he had asked the Saudis to increase oil production. President Bush publicly urged the Saudis to produce more to reduce pressure on rising oil prices when he was in the region in January.

Cheney said the Bush administration met with the Saudi king and oil minister about three years ago in Texas and talked about the world oil market. He said at that time the Saudis agreed to increase their capacity to produce oil by 2.5 million barrels a day from what was then 10.5 illion barrels.

"They kept their word," he said, adding that the capacity is now about 11.8 million barrels and that at the end of 2009 is expected to be 12.5 million.


Related articles:
  • Hamas, Fatah officials in Yemen sign deal to revive direct talks
  • Cheney in J'lem: U.S. will never pressure Israel to take security risks
  • Pressure? What are you talking about?
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Love story
    Israel grants permission for gay Palestinian to join lover in Tel Aviv.
    Interfaith get-together
    Saudi King plans first interfaith conference to include Jews.
      1.   what a load of BS 11:14  |  VIPER 24/03/08
      2.   Cheney should be in prison. 11:31  |  Michael 24/03/08
      3.   Which peace process? 11:46  |  Clickfool 24/03/08
      4.   Newsflash for Cheney: Who profits from avoiding peace? 12:13  |  Natallie Durson 24/03/08
      5.   Abbas cannot be trusted. 13:02  |  Jean Van Daem 24/03/08
      6.   CHENEY IS A DISCRACE 13:16  |  JH 24/03/08
      7.   Newsflash for Natallie 13:22  |  bobby 24/03/08
      8.   Cheney,Bush,the secretary of State,Defence,national security 13:32  |  lakshmi 24/03/08
      9.   Always blame others 13:36  |  jc 24/03/08
      10.   Hamas Iran torpedoing Peace Process 13:37  |  I.Kemp 24/03/08
      11.   THANKS TO BOTH SYRIA AND IRAN. 13:58  |  petra 24/03/08
      12.   those who love hamas will love them no matter what they do 14:40  |  fathawi true 24/03/08
      13.   A bunch of sick leader runs the world 14:47  |  Dav 24/03/08
      14.   A picture woth a thousand words 15:00  |  Bat Man 24/03/08
      15.   AntiTerrorist Response 16:06  |  Zev 24/03/08
      16.   Cheney, Bush, and all hawks that destroyed Iraq... 16:12  |  kaled 24/03/08
      17.   So thats the end of the Peace Process..Cheney.! 17:22  |  Stephen. 24/03/08
      18.   What an Israeli 18:36  |  Moishe 24/03/08
      19.   Cheney`s last salvos. 01:44  |  Fortuna Benmayor 25/03/08
      20.   #12, FATHAWI TRUE, not quite right 00:34  |  VIPER 26/03/08
     Today Online
    Bradley Burston: Ten ways Israel keeps Hamas afloat
    Responses: 98
    Saudi King planning first interfaith conference to include Jews
    Responses: 122
    Yoel Marcus: Golan worth giving away for peace with Syria
    Responses: 144
    Avirama Golan: Bibi's wife versus Spitzer's call girl
    Responses: 52
    Israeli defense sources: Hamas wants to maintain Gaza quiet
    Responses: 75
    Haaretz.com TV: Violence between messianic Jews, Haredim on the rise
    Responses: 70
    Rosner's Domain
    Obama advisor blasts 'NY, Miami' for failed peace process
    Slight preference for Clinton among Jewish Democrats
    Kurtzer: The pro-Israel lobby, not obstacle for peace
    Is bar mitzvah more important than Christmas tree?
    Govt. to appeal ruling on classified material in AIPAC trial


    More Headlines
    21:22 Blair: Middle East peace is a race against time
    21:14 Saudi King plans first interfaith conference to include Jews
    01:08 Barak approves five mobile homes for Hebron Hills settlement
    23:01 IDF arrests top PFLP operative involved in death of soldier
    20:47 New law removes statute of limitations from murder of PM
    18:40 Israel grants permission for gay Palestinian to join lover in Tel Aviv
    18:33 Brooklyn rabbi says beaten by men who shouted 'Allahu Akbar'
    01:41 Economic Affairs committee approves: NIS 200,000 fine for spam
    02:06 Israeli study provides first proof that raising dogs helps kids' health
    01:22 Haaretz's Rosner, Kashti get B'nai B'rith journalism prizes
    23:08 Lebanon minister confirms gov't will boycott Arab summit
    02:29 Eight social organizations to get Israel Prize on country's 60th
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    FAREWELL ISRAEL New Film
    The Coming War for Islamic Revival - View Movie Trailer
    Free the Palestinians from:
    Corrupt Kleptocracy, Tyrannical Theocracy, Abysmal Anarchy
    Long-term Israel programs
    MASA is your gateway. More programs. More grants.
    NEW! Dan Boutique Jerusalem Hotel
    Hip Dan Hotel in Jerusalem. Attractive Introductory Rates
    7589 rockets fired so far
    HELP US TO HELP THEM
    Marina Royale Herzelia Pituach
    Your Luxurious Suite While Staying in Israel
    Fattal Hotel Chain
    Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
    ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel
    Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved