JERUSALEM — Israel snubbed a delegation of Middle East mediators that had come to discuss its planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, officials said yesterday.
The representatives of the Quartet — comprising the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia — are in the region to promote the Gaza withdrawal.
The Quartet wants the withdrawal to be part of the “road map,” its broader peace plan that envisions an independent Palestinian state by 2005.
Israeli officials, however, decided not to meet with the diplomats during a stop in Jerusalem on Tuesday — the latest sign that the Jewish state is attempting to exclude Europeans from Middle East peacemaking ahead of its planned Gaza withdrawal.
“We don’t want to work with the Europeans on security issues,” said Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s spokesman, Asaf Shariv. “We work with the Americans on these issues. There are a lot of other issues, like economic, that we would be happy to work on with the Europeans.”
He denied Israel had refused to meet with the Quartet. He said Israel first wants to talk to a White House delegation arriving later this week before discussing the withdrawal plan with others.
Israel often has accused Europe of being biased toward the Palestinians, and preferred to deal directly with the United States.
The government has distanced itself progressively from the road map, which calls for a negotiated settlement with the Palestinians, since it signed on to the plan a year ago.
The Quartet envoys met yesterday with Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia in the West Bank town of Ramallah. Later, Mr. Qureia met with David Satterfield, the American representative at the talks.
“If it is true that Israeli officials would not meet with the Quartet, it means that Israel is turning its back to the entire world,” Mr. Qureia said.
Palestinian officials said Mr. Satterfield emphasized that the United States continues to support President Bush’s vision of a Palestinian state living peacefully alongside Israel, as set out in the road map.
Although U.S. officials say they are committed to the plan, Washington has sent mixed signals over its implementation.
A set of letters that Mr. Sharon and Mr. Bush exchanged in Washington in April did not mention the Quartet.
In the letters, Israel presented its plans for a Gaza withdrawal, while the United States offered unprecedented backing for Israel on the sensitive issues of Jewish settlements and Palestinian refugees.
The assurances enraged Palestinians, and several European countries criticized Mr. Bush’s support.
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