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Israel fears scathing U.S. report on its West Bank policies
By Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff
Tags: Israel, West Bank, IDF 

The United States security coordinator for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, retired general James Jones, is preparing an extremely critical report of Israel's policies in the territories and its attitude toward the Palestinian Authority's security services.

A few copies of the report's executive summary (or, according to some sources, a draft of it) have been given to senior Bush Administration officials, and it is reportedly arousing considerable discomfort. In recent weeks, the administration has been debating whether to allow Jones to publish his full report, or whether to tell him to shelve it and make do with the summary, given the approaching end of President George Bush's term.

Jones was appointed by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice following the Annapolis peace conference last November. His assignment was to draft a strategic plan to facilitate stabilization of the security situation, as a necessary accompaniment to Israeli-Palestinian final-status negotiations. In this context, he assessed the PA security forces in the West Bank, whose reform is being overseen by another American general, Keith Dayton. Jones has visited the region several times and met with senior Israeli government officials and army officers.
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According to both Israeli and American sources, the envoy's conclusions about Israel are scathing. Israelis who met with Jones on his most recent visit here a few weeks ago, including Israel Defense Forces officers, said their impression was that the report would be "very harsh, and make Israel look very bad."

Jones is apparently critical of Israel on two key issues. One is its fairly broad definition of its security interests in the West Bank under any final-status agreement. The other is its attitude toward the PA security services.

However, the sources said, Jones also had some criticism for Washington: He said its efforts to reform the PA security services fell short and complained that U.S. government agencies are not coordinating their assistance for these forces. In addition, he reportedly concluded that the PA forces are not yet capable of effectively enforcing the law in the West Bank.

The harsh criticisms contained in the executive summary are reportedly upsetting the Bush administration. Some senior U.S. officials are demanding that the full report not be published, so as not to create a storm in advance of the presidential elections in November. Jones, however, is apparently insisting that his full report be published,
just as the report he issued last year on the Iraqi security forces was.

Officials at the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv declined to comment.

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      1.   Everyone knows the PA security forces moonlight as terrorists 02:35  |  McQueen 22/07/08
      2.   Why is he prejudging final status issues? 02:36  |  McQueen 22/07/08
      3.   Go ahead, criticize Israel. JEALOUS?? 02:38  |  Ronnbo 22/07/08
      4.   What a joke 02:58  |  Raymond 22/07/08
      5.   JONES REPORT 03:08  |  S 22/07/08
      6.   WOW! - An American report critical of Israel? 03:17  |  Axel 22/07/08
      7.   #3 Ronnbo 03:32  |  Chris Linthwaite 22/07/08
      8.   @Ronnbo - are you serious ? 03:36  |  air 22/07/08
      9.   Protecting lives more important than leaving nice impression 03:40  |  Sam 22/07/08
      10.   May as well let him release the full report 03:57  |  Johnboy 22/07/08
      11.   Brown`s Knesset Speech 04:22  |  V R Sonti 22/07/08
      12.   Israel must be open to criticism 04:23  |  Nephtaly 22/07/08
      13.   JONES REPORT 04:23  |  Llyn 22/07/08
      14.   His Report Should Not Be Censored To Protect Israel 04:32  |  Mr. Know-It-All 22/07/08
      15.   blah-bleh-blah-bleh 04:49  |  judith 22/07/08
      16.   US official preparing scathing report 04:50  |  jtilk 22/07/08
      17.   Can Israel look worst that it does? I am amazed!! 05:04  |  Cerdic 22/07/08
      18.   Six Months To Go 05:06  |  Johnny Weintraub 22/07/08
      19.   This shouldn`t have been surprising 05:10  |  Raymond in DC 22/07/08
      20.   Why Doesn`t Israel Allow Kuntar Praising Abbas to Murder Israelis 05:10  |  Hmm 22/07/08
      21.   Oh come on Mr. Jones... 05:13  |  Henry 22/07/08
      22.   Sign of the times 05:31  |  Natallie Durson 22/07/08
      23.   Does the report mention 05:32  |  Great White North 22/07/08
      24.   Israeli report..honesty is the best policy... 05:35  |  Edithann 22/07/08
      25.   better later than never. 05:42  |  Michael N 22/07/08
      26.   No Surprise - He works for the State Department 05:59  |  Fish 22/07/08
      27.   End of an Era? 06:02  |  Mark of Lewiston 22/07/08
      28.   Actually, no, it`s one single issue.... 06:05  |  Johnboy 22/07/08
      29.   Going to be bad because 06:05  |  Guy From NYC 22/07/08
      30.   Ronnbo: Israeli security policies 06:09  |  Guy From NYC 22/07/08
      31.   Great White North: Does the report 06:16  |  Guy From NYC 22/07/08
      32.   More diplomatic idiocies 06:20  |  Frank 22/07/08
      33.   To #21: American interest? 06:33  |  Frank 22/07/08
      34.   Bravo Nephtaly -Israelis should be open to criticism 06:36  |  Jonathan 22/07/08
      35.   Shocked, absolutely shocked! 06:41  |  Candida 22/07/08
      36.   JAMES JONES & HIS `WESTERN` ANAYSIS THAT ASSHOLE HAS NO IDEA 06:43  |  David P 22/07/08
      37.   Shhhhh...don`t talk about what happened in Gaza. 06:55  |  Gilad 22/07/08
      38.   VOICE OF REASON 06:55  |  JOEL 22/07/08
      39.   29 Frank - Jordanians and Egyptians Aren`t Arabs? 06:57  |  Mark of Lewiston 22/07/08
      40.   publish now or it just gets leaked later 07:08  |  American 22/07/08
      41.   22 Fish - Basics of US Government 07:12  |  Mark of Lewiston 22/07/08
      42.   Wonder who has the leaked copy of the full report? 07:44  |  Johnboy 22/07/08
      43.   Can the Israelis accept a ?Palestinian state? ? 07:55  |  Jean Van Daem 22/07/08
      44.   To Abbas "armed struggle" remains an option. 07:57  |  Jean Van Daem 22/07/08
      45.   Jones` report 07:58  |  Walter 22/07/08
      46.   #22 natallie HAPPILY hops into her TWILIGHT ZONE 08:07  |  CK Tan 22/07/08
      47.   Truth is toxic to politicians, legislators, religious fanatics 08:17  |  Ivar 22/07/08
      48.   Raymond in DC 08:23  |  Marcos 22/07/08
      49.   The next job of many "US officials" 08:23  |  Dr. Jack 22/07/08
      50.   To Be Expected 08:27  |  MB 22/07/08
      51.   Can nothing be said about israel short of a standing ovation??? 08:44  |  DS 22/07/08
      52.   Sam (#9) is right 08:51  |  Gili 22/07/08
      53.   Now hear this 08:58  |  concerned citizen 22/07/08
      54.   ..."makes israel look very bad"...!!! 08:58  |  ravi 22/07/08
      55.   #40 Of course it is still an option for him, Jean 09:03  |  Johnboy 22/07/08
      56.   At least Israel does not throw Fatah guys from roofs 09:07  |  ScotGuy 22/07/08
      57.   Most of this Israel bring on herself 09:13  |  nat 22/07/08
      58.   #22 More hyperbole from Natallie 09:20  |  DesMnsDave 22/07/08
      59.   #29 Oh please! 09:23  |  DesMnsDave 22/07/08
      60.   #12 Open Democracies Require Open Criticism 09:25  |  DesMnsDave 22/07/08
      61.   S #5 is a new false S, but I share his opinion. 09:26  |  S 22/07/08
      62.   NOTHING to fear about...... 09:27  |  The Archives 22/07/08
      63.   This report will be on the desk of President Obama 09:35  |  Clickfool 22/07/08
      64.   # 36 EXCELLENT POST BUT ONE MISTAKE 09:45  |  MJ 22/07/08
      65.   Linthwaites best yet 09:52  |  rich 22/07/08
      66.   Criticise the Zionists at your peril 10:01  |  Chanalau, Tova 22/07/08
      67.   jOHNBOY IN sYDNEY 10:08  |  rich 22/07/08
      68.   Axel 10:10  |  rich 22/07/08
      69.   Israel in occupied territory 10:23  |  Allen 22/07/08
      70.   israelis stop blaming americans! 10:25  |  enough! 22/07/08
      71.   #22 natallie HAPPILY hops into her TWILIGHT ZONE (2x) 10:28  |  CK Tan