Ariel Sharon is at it again. While Bush & Blair are meeting to discuss, amongst other things, a "road map" to peace amongst the Israelis and Palestinians, Sharon approves the first settlement of Jews in the Arab side of Jersualem since Israel occupied the city in 1967. http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,2763,931141,00.html " Danny Seidemann, an adviser to previous Israeli leaders on how to divide Jerusalem, said Mr Sharon's approval for the settlers' move into Ma'aleh Ha'zeitim was a test for George Bush and Tony Blair, who meet in Belfast today to discuss, among other things, the "road map" to a Middle East peace deal which envisages a Palestinian state within three years. "This is not something Sharon turned a blind eye to. This is something he gave the go ahead for even after Condoleezza Rice asked him not to," he said. "The Jewish settlement in Ras al-Amoud makes a resolution more difficult and undermines the stability of the city. If the US is serious about the road map it will not countenance unilateral action on the settlements that predetermine an outcome to negotiations. " ************************************ " The prime minister's critics say that Ma'aleh Ha'zeitim is a political tactic to block the possibility of dividing Jerusalem as part of a peace deal. It also undermines plans under the Camp David accords for a corridor to give Palestinians access to Muslim sites in Jerusalem's old city without having to pass through Israeli territory. " Sharon just thumbs his nose not only to the Americans and British but to all the world. It's about time the US conditions it's aid to Israel to stop such provocative actions. When will the US administration get the balls to rein this madman in?
Re: Sharon Thumbs His Nose To Bush & Blair Sharon would be an idiot to cave in on Jersusalem at this early date. It would also be foolish to agree to pay the price for Bush's war. The price for the first war was armed terrorists in the West Bank and Gaza. The price will be paid in any case, but there's no reason for Sharon to bend over. Not a pretty sight.
Every move Sharon makes is a provocative one. The US government gives his country billions of dollars of aid yet when they request he withhold some action he just tells them to F' off. Name any other country in the world which could get away with that? There's continuing terrorism in Israel due in large part to Sharon's policies which have left the Palestinians with no hope. If you destroy their homes, leave them jobless, kill their relatives what else is their to do? Desperate people take desperate measures.
LOL. Turkey may yet get $1B after one of the biggest F yous in history. Israel pretty much follows orders, just not 100% of the time. What?! Sharon is a Palestinian creation. Arafat's gift to the world.
Everything is palestinians' fault. To make you happy they simply should disappear with a "pop". Israel expands settlements? Arafat fault. Israelis vote sharon? Arafat fault. Sometimes it seems that for some reason Israel cannot do something bad or wrong by definition, and if it happens (and it happens) it's palestinians fault. Sharon is an israeli, sharon is an israeli gift to the world.
I responded to the absurd notion that Sharon can be blamed for Palestinian terrorism when in fact his improbable rise to power was a direct result of terrorism. Ariel Sharon is an excellent leader, like Silvio Berlusconi
sharon can be blamed for his policy which actually put fuel in the fire. israelis can be blamed because they actually voted him even if they knew his curriculum. Something like "yes we know how you acted in the sabra e chatila's massacre nevertheless it's ok you lead us". Sadly nowadays the reasonable voices in israel society are muted by useless screams of anger. Sadly few undestand that sharon is just making things worst. You've got a perverted mind. This is pornopolitics.
Some of you won't like this, but that means nothing to me. If we did not support Israel the WTC would still be standing. Israel wanted us to go into iraq because that is one of isreals many enemies. Israel has power in the US because they were smart enough to run for US political office and win. If we did not support israel with money and arms Arab nations would have ate them up a long time ago. As far a the palistinies go they were rooting for the wrong team in this war. So I hope the road map business was just talk, fuccck them to. I think the best thing for us is to stay out of this from now on, and let them both kill each other off. I can't even tell the difference between them. The israeli and the Arab NYC taxi drivers all look alike to me.
This is the point which many in the US are ignoring. Yes the intifada existed before Sharon's rise to power but his policies exacerbated the situation and have accordingly discredited the moderates on both the israeli and palestinian side because they'll be accused by the hawks as being too "soft". As I pointed out previously, Sharon's policies leave the Palestinians with no hope and he treats them as practically being "subhuman", thus what do they have to lose but to engage in terrorism?
I think Ben's point is that Arafat and his gang of thugs obviously made the decision to engage in terrorism long before Sharon was in power.
And yet you do. How insightful. Sharon is exactly the right man to lead Israel at this moment. The Palestinians will get another Barak-type offer in the next few years and they'll think long and hard about rejecting it again. Who knows. Maybe if they work really hard they'll get this guy. I mean, if they can get Sharon, they might just be able to get: It's one in a million, but if the Palestinians try very very hard anything is possible.
You are right. Look at how Israel is becoming more and more a beautiful place thanks also to sharon policies. A new front for the war on terrorism, the jewish terrorism strikes back. Jews claim blast that hurts 15 at Palestinian high school http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/282378.html An extreme right-wing Jewish group called "Revenge of the Infants" claimed responsibility for a mystery blast that ripped through a Palestinian high school in the Jenin-area West Bank village of Jaba'a Wednesday, injuring at least 15 Palestinian teenagers, three of them seriously. As if IDF didn't kill enough palestinan infants alone...
Yes, they have a lot in common. They are both criminals*! *allegedly One has to bear in mind that this road map, and its full implementation, is the key plank of the deal between Blair and Bush. Sharon has been trying to discredit Blair, but because of Blair's other actions, this has not been possible. But it is VERY important that Bush applies the necessary pressure onto Sharon to ensure this road map is implemented. Otherwise all the other deals will fall apart.
I have no understanding of what you are trying to say here. Are you implying that GW is an Israeli; or that we have several Israeli nationals in high offices in this country? Or are you concerned that the Zionist occupation of the world is closer than most people think? This brings up a question I've had for several years (pretty much since the Balkans conflict). How in the hell do these people know they're killing the other side if there is no physical differences between them?
A genetic study showed that the most similar ppl to jewish ppl is the palestinian ppl. I don't think anyone will be surprised about this since their roots belong to the same land. sad, isn't it? if you want I put the link of that study (pdf).
No kidding! Why would anyone kill people who are so closely related? Sincerely, Northern Ireland cc: The Menendez Brothers
You still fail to understand the point that Sharon got elected precisely because things were so bad. Perhaps you only discovered the Middle East in the last few years. Othewise, I can't explain this. Based on Palestinian demographics, it is remarkable how few youngsters are injured. You probably think it's like Italy where the young are few and far between. An 18 year old Palestinian is an old man compared to the rest of the population. Perhaps you didn't read the entire Ha'eretz article that you linked entitled "Police doubt claim Jews bombed Palestinian high school"
Things have gotten worse since Sharon took over. His hardline tactics have only strengthened the Palestinian hardliners and his policies have made the Palestinians even more desperate so that they feel they have nothing to lose by engaging in attacks on Israelis. The Israelis reply in kind and the cycle of violence becomes unending. What's needed is some bold leadership and not more brutality.
Every time one hears this "cycle of violence" nonsense only two words should come to mind: Ehud Barak (see PLO, see Lebanon). Next tired cliche please. Israelis have recognized that you don't enter negotiations with your best offer. Sharon was the only logical response to the violent response to Barak's generosity. There will be further negotiations, starting at square one.