On the Mideast situation

American efforts to end more than 15 months of violence in the Middle East are hanging in the balance. Israeli ploys and Washington's tilt toward Tel Aviv are increasingly clouding prospects.

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, under heavy foreign pressure, unleashed a crackdown on Palestinian activists. Hamas and Jihad complied with Arafat's request to halt attacks against Israel. Now Arafat has kept his part of the bargain, a scheming Sharon felt that he would be asked to do likewise.

In an obvious bid for an exit, he uncovered what he thought would be his trump card. While American envoy Anthony Zinni was in the region for a fresh peacemaking trip, Sharon sought to eclipse, and even scuttle the mission with the announcement that his commandos had intercepted a ship loaded with weapons intended to be smuggled into the Palestinian self-rule zones.

Swayed by the Israeli's claims, the U.S. has jumped to conclusions. Last week, U.S. President George W. Bush said he was beginning to suspect that the vessel was meant to "promote terror." However, he failed to take notice of the long-running Israeli terror.

-- Egyptian Gazette, Cairo, Egypt