The Deadliest Weekend

The United States, Europe and Middle East Arab nations have launched a diplomatic offensive to solve an Israeli-Palestinian conflict that endured some of its most bloody episodes over the weekend.

This week sees the start of a trip through the Middle East by US Vice President Dick Cheney. Though the focus of the vice president’s trip will be the next steps in America’s war on terror, he is also expected to arrive in Israel later in the week. He will be preceded by US Middle East Envoy Anthony Zinni, who makes his third trip to the troubled region (see link below).

Arab foreign ministers, who wrapped up a meeting in Cairo Sunday, are working on an agenda for the upcoming Arab two-day summit in Beirut. Chief among the topics is a peace plan floated by Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah last week. The initiative won international approval, though Saudi officials have yet to reveal many details about the peace proposal.

Europe is planning to throw its complete weight behind the US and Arab enterprises this week. The Dutsch foreign ministry announced on Saturday that the EU has been in constant contact with Washington and was working towards keeping Sharon from military retailiation. Among the diplomatic initiatives on the table, Abdullah’s plan is winning supporters in Brussels, according to reports.

"The message from Brussels is very clear: the Israelis and Palestinians must halt the spiral of violence and commit themselves to a renewal of dialogue," said a spokeswoman for EU foreign policy head Javier Solana.

But after a weekend in which 18 Israelis died, the Israeli Army said on Sunday it is more determined than ever to expand its offensive against Palestinian targets.

5, 38, 2, 4, 11

After a Palestinian gunmen killed five people, the Israeli army carried out raids that killed 38 Palestinians on Friday. The raids were followed by Israeli rocket attacks at Palestinian security targets and the death of two Palestinians at the Israeli army’s hands.

Revenge came quickly. Two gunmen went on a spree at a seaside hotel resort Saturday afternoon, killing two people, including a 9-month old baby, and injuring 34 people before being killed by police.

A few hours later, a 20-year-old Palestinian joined a line of people waiting for a table at a cafe down the street from Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s compound in a quiet, residential Jerusalem neighborhood. Seconds later, he exploded a bomb, killing 11, including himself.

Israeli air force responded by completed destroying Arafat’s headquarters in the Gaza strip Sunday. Arafat himself has been confined in Ramallah by Israeli tanks since December. There were no reports of injuries.

Violence comes after positive note

The campaign of violence followed a positive concession by Sharon Friday in the march towards peace. Sharon, bowing to American and European pressure, abandoned his requirement that a week of quiet must precede any negotiations.

"I see a ceasefire as a central aim of ours," said Sharon following his weekly cabinet minister’s meeting

This means both sides could set about initiating a steps-to-peace plan by former CIA director George Tenet. The plan calls for a withdrawal of Israeli troops to positions they held before violence broke out in September 2000. The Palestinians would be required to pull out all the stops in ending Palestinian suicide and ambush attacks on Israeli citizens.

The 17-month Intifada, , has killed 332 Israelis and at least 1,017 Palestinians.