White House Report: Middle East; President's Day

(Fleischer briefed on Air Force One en route New York)(500)

TIMETABLE FOR WITHDRAWAL FROM WEST BANK SPECIFIC TO JENIN, NABLUS

The timetable for withdrawal of Israeli forces from the West Bank that
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had given President Bush and Secretary of
State Colin Powell referred to withdrawal from Jenin and from Nablus,
and not from the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem or from
Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat's compound in Ramallah,
White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer clarified April 22 in
response to a reporter's question.

"That timetable is a timetable that I announced when the President
spoke to Prime Minister Sharon -- and the President discussed in the
Oval Office -- which was withdrawal from Jenin within days, and Nablus
within a week," Fleischer said. "And as we've seen, that's what the
Israelis did. The timetable was just those events I described. And
then, as the President discussed and as I discussed, the situation of
the Church of the Nativity and the compound in Ramallah presented
unique circumstances," said Fleischer.

"But to be specific, the timetable, which has now been public for more
than a week, almost a week, is specific to Jenin and Nablus."

Fleischer said President Bush "believes that the withdrawals need to
continue. The President believes that all three parties -- the
Israelis, the Palestinians, and the Arabs -- have to do just what he
outlined when he called on all the parties to take specific actions to
reduce the violence, enter a cease-fire, and focus on political
solutions."

Asked about holding an international peace conference on the Middle
East, Fleischer said that idea "continues to be reviewed as a possible
way to bring people together.

"It would be premature to get into any details of something that's not
been agreed to and is right now in the idea stage," the Press
Secretary said. Secretary Powell "discussed a ministerial-level
conference. But I think what's important now from the President's
point of view is for all the parties to focus on not only reducing the
violence, but looking ahead into how you can have some type of
political talks begin -- i.e., the Mitchell Accords."

Fleischer also said plans are continuing for the upcoming visit of
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince with President Bush at his Texas ranch
later this week.


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