Bush angry with Sharon?
So maybe Sharon really did piss W off last week, at Aqaba, as Akiva Eldar reported in HaAretz today?
Here's what Reuters reported this afternoon, about Bush's reaction to the Israeli government's attempt to launch yet another extra-judicial killing yesterday. (The attempt failed. The target, Hamas's Abdel-Aziz Rantissi, escaped with minor injuries. Two other people were killed, and a further number injured.)
Anyway, Reuters:
In a rare criticism of Israel, Bush said the attack on the official of the Hamas group could undermine efforts by Palestinians to end anti-Israeli violence, as specified in his peace "road map."
He directed his top aides make phone calls to senior Israeli and Palestinian officials, urging the two sides to adhere to plan.
Bush did not take part in the calls.
"I'm concerned that the attacks will make it more difficult for Palestinian leadership to fight off terrorist attacks. I also don't believe the attacks helped Israeli security," Bush said as he met Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in the Oval office.
"I am determined to keep the process on the road to peace and I believe that with responsible leadership by all parties we can bring peace to the region," Bush told reporters.
Abdel-Aziz al-Rantissi of the Palestinian Hamas group, which has rejected the peace plan, was wounded in Tuesday's strike by Israeli helicopter gunships. The strike killed two others, wounded 20 and threatened to sabotage the peace plan endorsed by Israeli and Palestinian leaders last week at a summit with Bush.
Bush said he regretted the loss of innocent life in the strike.
Another Israeli attack on Palestinian targets followed initial U.S. criticisms of the strike on Rantissi. The White House said it was still studying the second incident.
Under terms of the peace plan, the Palestinian Authority is responsible for ending anti-Israeli violence and dismantling groups such as Hamas that attack Israelis.
Asked whether Israel's attack on Rantissi was "out of bounds of the road map," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said. "That's correct."