UN inquiry: Sharon calls for some more time

On another diplomatic front, Israeli political sources said President Bush had proposed to Sharon a deal that could end Israel’s month-long siege of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s headquarters. As a UN fact-finding team waited in Geneva for the go-ahead to fly to Israel, Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said the main stumbling block was whether the UN or Israel would determine which Israeli witnesses were interviewed.

NEW YORK: Most Americans believe President George W. Bush lacks a well-thought-out plan to end violence in West Asia and has made little or no progress towards achieving peace in the region, according to a Newsweek poll released on Saturday.

WACO (TEXAS): Reporters were barred when White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer addressed the West Asia crisis and other issues in a talk at a Texas synagogue, participants said on Saturday. White House spokeswoman Anne Womack said: ‘‘Ari accepted an invitation to speak off the record at a local synagogue.’’

DUBAI: Arab League Chief Amr Moussa warned the US on Saturday that Arab nations could take punitive steps, and perhaps even cut crude oil supplies, if it remained ‘‘blatantly biased’’ towards Israel. Speaking to mediapersons in Dubai, he said Arabs were feeling ‘‘humiliated, depressed and helpless’’ by US’ policy on West Asia.