Bush refusal to meet Arafat 'a calculated snub' Riyadh |Reuters | 11-11-2001

Saudi media deemed U.S. President George W. Bush's refusal to meet Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat a calculated snub yesterday and said Washington's stand on Middle East peace could sink its anti-terror coalition.

Saudi Arabia has sharply rebuked its Western ally over the decision, saying it was angrily frustrated at Washington's failure to begin a promised initiative to forge a final peace settlement between Israel and the Palestinians.

Bush rejected an opportunity to meet Arafat at the United Nations this weekend, his national security advisor saying the Palestinian leader was not serious about the war on terrorism.

"The refusal...is a calculated snub – and it gives the lie to stories put out by Washington that it plans a new initiative to get Middle East peace talks back on track or that it supports a Palestinian state," the Arab News daily said.

"It is also an unbelievably ill-judged decision when Washington is desperate for Arab support in the war against terrorism," the English-language newspaper said in an editorial.

Risking a backlash from conservative Muslims at home, Saudi Arabia has lent support to the U.S. campaign to root out Afghanistan-based Osama bin Laden, the Saudi-born militant who is Washington's prime suspect in the September 11 attacks.

"Bush, who has refused to meet Arafat since taking office, has to realise that he cannot kick Arabs in the teeth on the one issue that is of overwhelming importance to them – Palestine – and yet expect them to fall in line on global terrorism, especially when it involves bombing a Muslim country," the Arab News added.

Saudi Arabia is trying to maintain close ties with Washington amid growing unease among many of its people about U.S. troops in the kingdom at a time when Arab anger over Washington's perceived one-sided support for Israel at an all-time high.

"American policy is linked to Tel Aviv, even if the result is against American interests," the Arabic-language Al Riyadh said.

In the nearby UAE, commentators said the Bush administration risked Arab support for raids on Afghanistan.

"Everyone must understand that the Arab world has not offered a blank cheque and is still able to achieve its rights by a

-- Anonymous, November 11, 2001