Sunday Apr 13, 2008

Peace efforts: admirable or foolish?

Posted by Ira Sharkansky

A Palestinian official has complained that Israel is currently offering less than was offered in the last serious efforts at reaching an accord, in 2000-2001.

This seems like a ploy to get the sympathy of the world, and put some pressure on Israeli negotiators.

Not from me. If this is true, (and truth is a problem with one-sided reports about ongoing negotiations) then I applaud the Israeli posture. In response to the Palestinians, I ask if they expect a reward from the Israelis for seven and one half years of violence under the heading of intafada.

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Sunday Jan 20, 2008

Ceasefire? What ceasefire?

Posted by Ira Sharkansky

"Wow!" is the only response possible to a headline from news.walla.co.il. "Fatah Threatens: We Will End the Cease Fire with Israel."

I had not noticed that there was a cease fire.

It did not seem like a cease fire when a gang of Palestinians, members of one of the several security forces supposedly directed by Fatah President Mahmoud Abbas, killed two Israeli hikers three weeks ago. Nor is it a cease fire that brings the IDF into cities of the West Bank, presumably controlled by Fatah, to deal with people wanted for violence against Israeli civilians.

Further down in the same article was the news that Abbas was threatening to resign as President of the Palestine National Authority, and end the peace process if Israel did not stop attacking fellow Palestinians in Gaza.

Does this mean that Israel should accept more than 50 missiles per day fired at its civilians, and not take any action?

Yesterday there was a report that Abbas complained to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and said that President Bush's dream of peace in the Middle East was in danger because of Israeli attacks. The report, from Palestinian sources, said that the Secretary of State would pressure the Israelis to stop the attacks.

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