President George W. Bush’s foreign policy about-face Thursday morning, which calls for Secretary of State Colin Powell to intervene in the Israel-Palestine crisis, caused mixed reactions on the ISU campus.

Bush outlined his hopes for resolution of the increasing conflict, calling for an end to terrorist acts by saying “no nation can negotiate with terrorists, for there is no way to make peace with those whose only goal is death.”

Powell will go to the region next week to seek “broad international support” for Bush’s policies.

Previous to his Rose Garden speech, Bush had said there was no reason to send Powell to the Middle East.

Steffen Schmidt, university professor of political science, said the United States should have intervened long ago.

“The United States is the only country in the world that can help these guys stop fighting,” Schmidt said. “[They need to] stop using military force and terrorism to solve what is mostly a political problem.”

Shahwar Ali, media secretary of the Muslim Student Association, agreed with Bush’s stance regarding the withdrawal of the Israeli military.

He countered Bush’s statement, however, that Yasser Arafat, chairman of the Palestinian Authority, was at fault for not stopping terrorism.

“This is not possible as long as Israeli occupation of territories continues,” said Ali, freshman in aerospace engineering. “I hope that Secretary Powell’s talking with Israelis and Palestinians will bring about a cease fire agreement.”

David Goldstick, a Jewish student, said “any kind of violence is just wrong.”

“Bush’s goal is to advance stability in the region, so perhaps it won’t be necessary to tear down the Palestinian terror networks,” said Goldstick, senior in management information systems.

“If he can mediate a peace between the two sides . it would be a better solution than any decided by war.”

Bush cautiously voiced American support for the Palestinians, saying that the “United States is on the record supporting the legitimate causes of the Palestinian people for a Palestinian state.”

He asked Israel to halt its “incursions into Palestinian-controlled areas,” and to withdraw from cities it has recently occupied.

He expressed little sympathy toward Arafat.

“The situation in which he finds himself today is largely of his own making,” Bush said.

Addressing Israel and its aggressive actions against Palestine, Bush allotted to the 54-year-old country the right to use military force.