U.S. Calls Shamir ‘Unhelpful’ in Objecting to Pressure for Peace Talks

The Bush Administration, leveling unusually harsh criticism at Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir, said Wednesday that Shamir’s objections to U.S. pressure for Israeli-Palestinian peace talks are “unhelpful.”

State Department spokeswoman Margaret Tutwiler said a statement made by Shamir warning that Israel is nearing a serious confrontation with the United States “was unhelpful, and we’re disappointed.” Asked about Shamir’s suggestion that the United States is no longer acting as Israel’s friend, she replied: “That’s ludicrous.”

Officials said the tough words were a deliberate shot across the bow of the Israeli prime minister, who has balked at Secretary of State James A. Baker III’s attempts to arrange talks between Israel and representative Palestinians.

At the same time, Administration officials said Baker intends to continue his efforts, even though both Shamir and the Palestine Liberation Organization have rejected the U.S. approach.

“There have been setbacks, there have been rejections, (but) we continue to pursue the process,” White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said.

Baker has been urging Israel to join with Egypt and the United States for talks on the makeup of a Palestinian delegation to discuss with Israel the details of West Bank and Gaza Strip elections. Last May, Shamir suggested the elections to select Palestinians to negotiate with Israel over limited Palestinian self-rule.

Baker maintains that his efforts are intended only to support the Shamir plan. However, Shamir told members of his Likud Party on Tuesday that the Administration is pressing Israel to negotiate with the Palestine Liberation Organization and then to abandon the West Bank and Gaza Strip altogether--ideas that his party has repeatedly rejected.

“We will not give in, even to the United States,” he declared.

Tutwiler, reading a prepared response, said that Shamir’s charges are untrue. “We’re not looking for a fight or confrontation with Israel,” she said. “Our only purpose is to help the government of Israel advance its own peace initiative.”

Since Shamir unveiled his election plan, the United States, Egypt and Israel’s Labor Party have tried to suggest ways to win Palestinian acceptance of the proposal. But Shamir has stiffened his resistance to their ideas.

Baker, struggling to keep the talks alive, has chosen to ignore Shamir’s objections. He spoke by telephone Wednesday with Israeli Foreign Minister Moshe Arens, and neither man raised the issue of Shamir’s views, Tutwiler said.

Shamir stuck to his rhetorical guns Wednesday, telling a group of fundamentalist Christians in Jerusalem: “We will not be pushed or pressured.”

Doyle McManus reported from Washington and Dan Williams reported from Jerusalem.