Wednesday, November 28, 2007

The Reality

Violence Is a Way of Life -Paul Martin

"We have orders not to fire any rockets on Tuesday because of the Annapolis summit, but we can resume normal activities after the summit ends," Haroon explained, claiming he is totally loyal to the political leadership of Fatah.
(Washington Times)


Israeli Troops Essential in West Bank -Barbara Opall-Rome

"There's no way to control terror without a persistent physical presence," said Maj.-Gen. Yair Naveh, the recently retired head of Israel's Central Command with responsibility for the West Bank and Jerusalem.

"I don't want to control the population, but I do want to control terror. And that requires presence in the sector at all times," Naveh said.
(Defense News)


The Challenge of Annapolis -David Horovitz

Palestinians discern a pattern of unilateral concession from Israel and see no incentive or imperative to compromise at all.

Israel has left Gaza. It is talking about leaving all of the West Bank, albeit with settlement bloc adjustments. It is talking about unprecedented concessions in east Jerusalem. It is finding no answer to rocket attacks from Gaza and proved vulnerable to attack from south Lebanon.

So why hurry, they ask, to compromise on the refugee issue and other maximalist demands?
(Jerusalem Post)

UPDATES:


After Annapolis: PA TV Shows "Palestine" Map Erasing Israel -Itamar Marcus & Barbara Crook
An information clip broadcast after the Annapolis meeting on Abbas-controlled Palestinian television shows a map in which Israel is painted in the colors of the Palestinian flag, symbolizing Israel turned into a Palestinian state. The description of all of the State of Israel as "Palestine" is part of a formal, systematic educational approach throughout the Palestinian Authority.
(Palestinian Media Watch)


Arab Representatives in U.S. Shun Israeli Foreign Minister -Herb Keinon Foreign Minister Tzipi
Livni failed in attempts to set up meetings in Annapolis or Washington with colleagues from the Arab world, even though the summit was designed to show international support for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. Israeli officials interpreted this as evidence that the Arab world had not changed its fundamental policy that there would be no warming of relations with Israel... (Jerusalem Post)

1 comment:

LHwrites said...

None of this makes any sense except to prop up Bush, which at first blush seems inexplicable since he has accomplished nothing for mideast peace, and has alienated many Arabs with his poorly run invasion. A closer look however, can possibly discern a rationale. The Israelis may think it is worth it since Bush has, at least tried, to invade and democratize a violent Muslim nation, which may mean more to the Israelis then it has for America. The Arabs seem to find Bush acceptable despite his crimes against Arabs, since his policies are behind $100. a barrel oil enriching far more Arabs than he has killed or tortured. Nevertheless, the Palestinians, with a weak leadership that has not committed to peace with Israel, and an entire governmental faction that after being elected, has splintered off and declared war with the rest of the government as well as Israel, it seems like this was not the time for these talks. The only one in a position to concede is Israel, and to what end?