-Caveat Lector- http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,2763,743474,00.html
One-sided offer that will change nothing Suzanne Goldenberg in Jerusalem Tuesday June 25, 2002 The Guardian Hours before President Bush delivered his vision for Middle East peace yesterday, Israeli tanks roared up to the headquarters of Yasser Arafat and a sixth Palestinian town fell under Israeli military occupation. Mr Bush made no mention of either fact. Instead, his promise of a Palestinian state was contingent on a call to Palestinians to overthrow their elected leader, Yasser Arafat, and to create a western-style democracy that exists nowhere else in the Arab world. In stark contrast, the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, faced no immediate pressure for an end to the army's re-occupation of West Bank towns, or for a freeze on illegal Jewish settlements. Mr Sharon has overseen 34 new outposts during his 15 months in power. Though the president did not specifically call for Mr Arafat's removal, he made it clear the Palestinians could never hope for a state of their own unless they cast out the man who has led them for the last 35 years. "Peace requires a new and different leadership so that a Palestinian state can be born," Mr Bush said. "I call on the Palestinian people to elect new leaders, leaders not compromised by terror." Only then, he added, would America support the creation of a state. "When the Palestinian people have new leaders, new institutions and new security arrangements with their neighbours, the United States of America will sup port the creation of a Palestinian state," he said. However, while many in the West Bank and Gaza would like to see a more effective Palestinian administration, and are angry and frustrated at the corruption of their leaders, there is no sign they are willing to jettison Mr Arafat on Mr Bush's - or Mr Sharon's - say-so. Although Mr Arafat's personal popularity is at barely 25%, according to an opinion poll this month by the Jerusalem Media and Communications Centre, each successive Israeli invasion of Palestinian territory has strengthened his standing. While the Palestinian leader has been discredited in the eyes of America, 47.5% of people in the West Bank and Gaza expect Mr Arafat would be returned if free elections were held. "It is only for the Palestinian people to determine who is their leader... and President Bush must respect the democratic choice of the Palestinian people," the Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erakat, told CNN yesterday. Beyond Washington's focus on the removal of Mr Arafat, the US president's vision went no further last night than a vague promise of a provisional Palestinian state, to be redeemed within three years - by which time Mr Bush may no longer be in the White House. He held out no details on the borders of the state that will emerge three years from now, the location of its capital, or the future of millions of Palestinian refugees - all vital concerns for the people of the West Bank and Gaza. Mr Bush also freed Mr Sharon of his few remaining constraints. While Israel does not yet have licence to expel Mr Arafat - as Mr Sharon's hardline allies demand - after last night's speech that day may not be far off. In addition, Mr Sharon was handed additional pretexts to delay a withdrawal from Palestinian lands, or the reopening of negotiations with the Palestinians. As Mr Bush made clear, Mr Sharon is now within his rights to demand not only an end to Palestinian violence, but a total overhaul of the judiciary in the West Bank or Gaa, before embarking on peace talks. "There is no basis here for any pressure on Israel whatsoever," said Joseph Alpher, an independent Israeli analyst. "There is no vision in terms of providing an incen tive to the Palestinians of what a state might look like. The only real vision is a democratic market state of Palestine without Arafat. If this is supposed to provide an incentive to Palestinians to get rid of Arafat, I don't see it." He was also extremely sceptical of Mr Bush's calls on Arab states - such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan - to encourage the development of an independent legislature and judiciary, and a market economy in the West Bank and Gaza. None of those states conform to America's vision of a Palestinian state. In Mr Alpher's view, Mr Bush's address - his most detailed articulation so far of his policy towards Israel and the Palestinians - falls short of a genuine re-engagement in Middle East peacemaking. By doing so, it also promises precious little in the way of hope for an end to nearly two years of blood and chaos. "This is either an incredibley naive approach or the cover for an absence of any genuine energy to really deal with the region. "After all, Bush began his term by being very standoffish, and this is an elegant way of getting out of the issues," he said. "We are dealing with two leaders, Sharon and Arafat, who are locked in their respective positions, and an American leader, the only conceivable person who can affect change, who does not want to truly get involved. So we are stuck where we are, which means more of the same, which means the situation will get worse: creeping Israeli occupation, expanding settlements and continued terrorism." <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
