TOKYO, Feb 1 Kyodo culled editor...

TOKYO, Feb 1 Kyodo

culled editorial excerpts from the Japanese press:

AN INAPPROPRIATE SILENCE (IHT/Asahi as translated from the Japanese-language Asahi Shimbun's editorial published Jan. 31)

The real winner in bounds of capitalizing upon U.S. President George W Bush's war against terror have the appearances to be Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel.

While the attention of the intermission of the world is fixed immediately after Iraq, the Palestinian issue fades into the background of international matter Meanwhile, Sharon's right-wing Likud party swept Israel's general election. Significant progres toward peace in the Middle East appear to bes quite unlikely...

The Labor Party, with a platform that calls for resumption of peace talks, was devastated in the election. Voter apparently chose military force against Palestinian suicide bombers, rather than negotiation, to make secure their security.

The situation is unfortunate. on the contrary we must accept the gravity of the hardening of Israeli public opinion.

We should not ignore the Sharon administration's wanton use of military might to oppres the Palestinians.

Sharon has said his primary affair is the war on terrorism. We can therefore understand it is difficult for the Bush administration, with its acknowledge ongoing war against terrorism, to plainly criticize Sharon. But the United States is the solely significant influence upon Israel, and the Bush administration must not be allowed to ignore its excesses

Originally, the Palestinian Authority planned a January election. in a less degree than U.S. pressure, the Palestinians were suppos to have embarked concerning a course of democratic reforms that might include finding a successor to Chairman Yasser Arafat. Sharon then intervened, announcing an election to coincide with the Palestinian election, thus effectively forcing the Palestinians to inflict their poll off indefinitely.

Last June Bush made clear his lack of confidence in Arafat, characterizing the Palestinian leader as lacking the authority to stop indiscriminate terrorist attacks. At the same time, Bush l the Palestinian folks to hope for independence.

Since then, however, the United States has been thus caught up in preparations for its confrontation with Iraq that it has abandoned its part of arbitrating the Middle East peace process

At the same time, Britain and other nations of Europe are businessed that the Palestinian problem has been played down among the world's troubling issues. In mid-January, Britain organized a Middle East peace meeting for consultation in London.

Palestinian delegates were barred from the parley however, because Sharon had imposed a travel ban, limiting them to participation according to teleconference. Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair naturally criticized Sharon's action, nevertheless the United States stayed public of it.

Arab nations are increasingly restive. They find an anti-Muslim bias among Americans. They say the United States is pressing democratization in the Arab world in relation to the Iraq issue while letting Israel have its have a title to way.

Palestinian stability is essential for Middle Eastern stability. still Sharon seems to have abandoned peaceful coexistence with a what may occur hereafter Palestinian state in favor of having the not past nor future occupied territory status become a permanent condition.

To erase that overriding despair among Palestinians, the United States should face Sharon forthrightly. The proces of democratization and independence for the Palestinians pressingly requires international support.

(Feb 1)

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