Middle East Peace?
The Middle East is searching for a way to achieve peace between Israel and the Palestinians. The Israelis want security inside definable borders. The Palestinians want a Palestinian State comprising of the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem. These goals were nearly achieved when Ehud Barak was the Israeli's Prime Minister but Arafat wanted more and decided to hold out. The palestinian terrorist card was played and resulted in a new Israeli government headed by hard liner Ariel Sharon.
It has become clear that there cannot be peace between Israel and the Palestinians until such time as the Hamas and Islamic Jihad have been neutralized. Suicide attacks by palestinians directed by these terror groups will provide a source of friction that will not allow any peace to be created or maintained. Arafat must insure the elimination of these terrorist groups otherwise only a wider conflict can result. Arafat has shown himself to not be up to the task. It has been 17 months and still the terrorist attacks continue and are then countered by Israeli military responses. No one else within the Palestinian Authority appears to have the internal support to stop the suicide attacks. Israeli military attacks will result in palestinian civilian casualties and only exacerbate the problem.
The only alternative I see is that the US war on terrorism will need to be widened to include Hamas and Islamic Jihad not just in word but in deed. Funding from Iran will have to be cut or blocked to bring an end to the violence they continue to instigate.
12/4/01 ( 334 )
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