a_unique_person
20th May 2003, 04:32 PM
An excellent article on the roadmap and the choices and possibilities facing the Israelis and Palestinians.
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/05/20/1053196581769.html
The Israeli Prime Minister has some choices to make. Will he act responsibly? History will be the judge, writes David Grossman.
Secretary of State Colin Powell arrived in the Middle East, met the leaders of Israel and the Palestinian Authority, and left without any diplomatic achievement. True, Israel made a few small gestures, but it did not commit itself to the "road map", the American plan for restarting the peace process.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon rebuffed the American request that he freeze construction in Israel's settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, explaining that this construction was essential to provide for the "natural increase" of the settlements' population. Appealing to his guest's Republican heart, Sharon asked: "Do you want the settlers to have abortions?"
So in the aftermath of Powell's visit, large numbers of questions continue to waft through the Middle East. But they are all, when it comes down to it, progeny of one central question: what does Ariel Sharon really intend to do?
The answer, of course, is what he always intended to do, annexe the West Bank and Gaza. They don't call him 'bulldozer' for nothing. He isn't afraid of terrorists, why should anyone else be.
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/05/20/1053196581769.html
The Israeli Prime Minister has some choices to make. Will he act responsibly? History will be the judge, writes David Grossman.
Secretary of State Colin Powell arrived in the Middle East, met the leaders of Israel and the Palestinian Authority, and left without any diplomatic achievement. True, Israel made a few small gestures, but it did not commit itself to the "road map", the American plan for restarting the peace process.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon rebuffed the American request that he freeze construction in Israel's settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, explaining that this construction was essential to provide for the "natural increase" of the settlements' population. Appealing to his guest's Republican heart, Sharon asked: "Do you want the settlers to have abortions?"
So in the aftermath of Powell's visit, large numbers of questions continue to waft through the Middle East. But they are all, when it comes down to it, progeny of one central question: what does Ariel Sharon really intend to do?
The answer, of course, is what he always intended to do, annexe the West Bank and Gaza. They don't call him 'bulldozer' for nothing. He isn't afraid of terrorists, why should anyone else be.