Silencing a Palestinian Moderate. Important elements in the Israeli government do not want a real two-state solution and do not want political negotiations with a reformed Palestinian leadership. By Anthony Lewis. [New York Times: International]
The element within all this which still deeply concerns me is the increasingly casual references to the idea that 'negotiations' cannot proceed unless and until there is a change in Palestinian leadership. The concept is quite extraordinary. It's equivalent to, for example, a situation where an employer would refuse to negotiate about a labour dispute until the union representatives adopt a 'moderate' tone on the rights of employees. This doesn't sound much like 'negotiation' to me.
It certainly appears that the Israeli government are not serious about achieving a resolution of the situation. All their actions seem aimed at reinforcing an extreme position: turning a blind eye to expanding settlements in Palestinian territory, erecting a 'security fence' which is horribly reminiscent of the infamous Berlin Wall, and favouring a piecemeal Palestinian 'state' separated and surrounded by parts of Israel -- which also brings back memories of the ridiculous West Berlin arrangement with its access corridor to West Germany.
And, of course, the NYT rightly points out that the Bush administration apparently approves of the Israeli actions and grants Sharon total free rein
9:02:15 AM 
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