Bush Stands Firm On Mideast Efforts

Senators from both parties say President Bush must step up his involvement in the Middle East peace process to try to halt violence in Israel and the West Bank.

CBS News Correspondent Bill Plante reports that despite calls from Republicans and Democrats in Congress for the president to become more actively involved in defusing the crisis, the administration is making no apologies for putting the onus on Israel and the Palestinians to make peace.

"United States influence will be and continue to be applied, but at its core, Israel and the Palestinian Authority have got to demonstrate the will to work toward peace," said White House spokesman Ari Fleischer.

What the Bush administration wants to avoid at all costs is a high profile failure to make peace, which could alienate both Israel and the Arab nations it needs in a coalition against Iraq.

But a growing chorus insists that the violence will never end until the U.S. is willing to risk some of its political capital to try to broker peace.

Sen. Joseph Lieberman said he is seeking "much bolder moves" from the administration.

"I think it's time, with all respect to (U.S. envoy Anthony Zinni), that the president ask Secretary (of State Colin) Powell, who has such great stature throughout the world, to go to the Middle East," Lieberman, D-Conn., said on "Fox News Sunday." Zinni is in the region trying to arrange a cease-fire.

Monday, the administration took a shotgun approach in addressing the problems in the region.

The U.S. accused Iran, Iraq and Syria of fomenting terror while it called on Yasser Arafat to ban suicide attacks and on Israel to "carefully consider the consequences" of its military thrust into Ramallah.

The multi-faceted message emerged after President Bush met at the White House with Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Colin Powell, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice and, by video linkup, Vice President Dick Cheney.

There were clear shadings of emphasis from the various parts of the administration.

Bush focused on Arafat, demanding the Palestinian leader denounce terror, while the State Department delivered a more-even handed lecture to Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

And at the Pentagon, Rumsfeld offered a searing indictment of Iran, Iraq and Syria as supporters of a terrorist "war on civilization"

The clear, overall aim, though, was to register U.S. resolve against terrorists who have subjected Israel to the deadliest series of bombings in its difficult 54-year history.

Bush appealed to Arafat to order a halt to the homicidal assaults on Israel and on settlers and soldiers on the West Bank. Suicide bombing in the name of religion is nothing but terror, he said.

"There will never be peace so long as there is terror, and all of us must fight terror," Bush said. "I'd like to see Chairman Arafat denounce the terrorist activities that are taking place, the constant attacks."

In a gentler vein, Bush urged Sharon to "keep a pathway to peace open" and said he believed the prime minister remained committed to plans the United States is pushing for a lasting cease-fire.

Responding to the growing and bipartisan clamor from members of Congress that he intervene more directly in the crisis, Bush said his critics "must have not been with me in Crawford (Texas) when I was on the phone all morning long" talking to leaders in the region.

Evidently the move suggested by Lieberman, dispatching Powell to the region, was not an option under White House discussion.

Powell, however, telephoned Arafat and Sharon on Saturday, spoke to Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Pique, whose government currently holds the presidency of the European Union; Javier Solana, the Union's foreign policy chief; Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, and British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw on Sunday, and Japanese Foreign Minister Yuriko Kawaguchi and U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Monday.

At the State Department, there was a noticeable difference of tone.

The Palestinian leadership must act now against those responsible and make clear to the Palestinian people that terror and violence must stop, deputy spokesman Philip Reeker said.

But he also aimed remarks at Sharon's military thrust into Ramallah, where Arafat makes his West Bank headquarters.

"We deplore the killing and wounding of innocent Palestinians. And we urge Israel to use maximum restraint to avoid harm to civilians and permit access for humanitarian services," Reeker said.

"We call upon Prime Minister Sharon to carefully consider the consequences of those actions and to keep open a pathway for peace."

At the Pentagon, meanwhile, Rumsfeld tore into Iran, Iraq and Syria for the support they have given for years to groups whose assaults on Israel are now accelerating.

"Murderers are not martyrs," Rumsfeld said. "Targeting civilians is immoral, whatever the excuse. Terrorist have declared war on civilization and states like Iran, Iraq and Syria are inspiring and financing a culture of political murder and suicide bombing."

Rumsfeld specifically accused Iran and Syria of funneling arms to Lebanon for use by terrorists and criticized Iraq for offering payments of up to $25,000 to the families of Palestinian suicide bombers.