Bush tells Mideast to make hard choices

WASHINGTON -- President Bush said Saturday that peace in the Middle East requires "hard choices and real leadership" by Israelis, Palestinians and their Arab neighbors.

And the White House was cool to former President Clinton's offer to play a role in peacemaking.

Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., urged Bush to take up Clinton's overture. "I think his advice would be invaluable," said Specter, who met with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat three weeks ago.

But Bush plans to stay the course he has charted, and is discouraging attempts by lawmakers to step into the conflict with legislation.

Lawmakers have offered a wide range of suggestions to end the Israeli-Palestinian stalemate, including a bill by Sens. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., to impose sanctions on Arafat. Reps. Lois Capps, D-Calif., and Jim Leach, R-Iowa, circulated a letter asking Bush to consider sending former Presidents Bush, Carter and Clinton to continue peace efforts.

Bush used his weekly radio address to make an evenhanded demand on all players in the Mideast.

"The time is now for all of us to make the choice for peace," he said.

"All parties must realize that the only long-term solution is for two states -- Israel and Palestine -- to live side by side in security and peace," the president said. "This will require hard choices and real leadership by Israelis and Palestinians and their Arab neighbors."

He urged Israel to continue withdrawing from Palestinian territory.

Bush also demanded that the Palestinian Authority "act on its words of condemnation against terror."

"All parties must stop funding or inciting terror, and must state clearly that a murderer is not a martyr. He or she is just a murderer," Bush said.

In an Associated Press interview Thursday, Clinton said he would like to be involved in the Middle East peace process but his contribution would depend on what the administration had in mind.

Specter embraced Clinton's offer, and urged Bush to use the former president.

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