国际英语新闻：Biden attempts to send double assurance to Israelis, Palestinians

JERUSALEM, March 11 (Xinhua) -- With indirect Israeli- Palestinian peace talks on the verge of collapse before they even begin, the visiting U.S. Vice President Joe Biden called on both parties to show courage and go ahead with negotiations.

During his around 30-minute speech at Tel Aviv University (TAU) on Thursday, Biden condemned Israel's approval of a 1,600 housing units project in East Jerusalem, in the meanwhile offering his host a vivid description of friendship between the United States and the Jewish state.

Analysts suggested that Biden was in an effort to assure the Palestinian side of U.S. seriousness on pushing the peace process, at the same time reassuring the wary Israelis of U.S. support.

ASSURING PALESTINIANS

Biden, in his speech, criticized Israel's decision on the latest-announced building project in East Jerusalem of " undermining trust required for productive peace negotiations."

His address came two days after an Israeli regional planning committee approved a 1,600 housing unit project in a Jewish Ramat Shlomo neighborhood across the Green Line in East Jerusalem.

Washington had hoped Biden's trip to the Israel and Palestinian territories, with the regional peace process one of the issues on top of his schedule, would pass off smoothly, but the housing controversy over the neighborhood plan put paid to that.

"They had not wanted to also have to express a censure of the Israeli government during this visit but felt they had no alternative when they were surprised by the announcement of the decision," said Hillel Schenker, the vice president of Israeli Democrats Abroad.

Schenker suggested that part of the need for the criticism of Israel was to ensure one of major purposes of Biden's trip was achieved. "To reassure the Palestinians that the American administration is serious about wanting to promote a meaningful peace process, which will produce results both for the benefit of Israelis and Palestinians," said Schenker.

The status of Jerusalem is a core issue in the decades-old Middle East feud. Israel captured East Jerusalem in 1967 and later annexed it without international recognition. The Palestinians want to build a future state with East Jerusalem as their capital.

So far the noises from Ramallah and Arab League (AL) headquarters in Cairo have not been positive. Prior to Biden's speech, AL chief Amr Moussa said the talks would be suspended before they even commence.

During his speech, Biden seemingly hopes a statement issued by Netanyahu's office on Thursday, which expressed regret on the timing of the announcement of the East Jerusalem building project, will go some way towards changing the minds of Arab leaders.

In the eyes of analysts, the American dignitary really hopes the Ramat Shlomo crisis is now in the past and when U.S. special envoy George Mitchell returns to the Middle East next week it will be to get the peace talks rolling rather than continue extinguishing fires.

ASSURING ALLY

However, for Pinhas Inbari, a senior researcher at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, Biden was also keen to point out that U.S. President Barack Obama is a firm friend of Israel, despite fears to the contrary.

With a warmly-applauded opening "U.S. has no better friend than Israel," Biden used a large part of his speech to address the political and security relationship between the U.S. and Israel.

"In Israel, there is increasing skepticism regarding President Obama. They think Obama is seeking excuses to distance himself from Israel and move closer to the Arab world," said Inbari.

The idea was shared by Schenker, who is also the co-editor of the Palestine-Israel Journal.

With Obama about to visit the world's largest Muslim country, Indonesia, and following his trips last year to Turkey and Egypt, it was necessary for Biden to travel to the Jewish state to act as a counterpoint, according to Schenker.

VEILED MESSAGE

Inbari also believed Biden came to the region with a third, more veiled message. Washington is of the opinion that there is a linkage between the Israeli-Palestinian issue and Iran's nuclear program.

That connection is somewhat indirect. The administration contests that if a solution can be found for the Israeli- Palestinian conflict it will make it far easier to create a united front in the face of the perceived threat from Iran, the analyst suggested.

Biden mentioned the connection in passing as he moved in his address from the Iranian issue to the topic of the Palestinians.

"We are determined to keep the pressure on Iran so that it will change its course and as we do, we'll also be seeking to improve the relations between Israelis and Palestinians. They are connected indirectly, but there is a relationship," said Biden.

Many Arab countries are concerned by developments across the Gulf in Tehran.

However, analysts suggested Washington fears that worries over the fate of the Palestinians are dogging collaboration on the Iranian question.

Both Israel and the United States believe that Tehran may obtain the uranium fuel needed for nuclear weapons by the same process to purify uranium. But Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purpose.

Israel has long labeled Iran's nuclear program as a threat to its security, and refused to rule out the possibility of launching unilateral military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities.