One of the great flaws in American foreign policy is that second-term presidents start looking to their “legacy” and of course want to be The one who make permanent peace in the Middle East possible.
The Bush administration is now in full “paving the legacy” mode: US says Mid-East peace on track
What does “on track” mean? It means more concessions from Israel, of course.
(h/t the Baron) MIDEAST: RICE WRINGS CONCESSIONS FOR WEST BANK FROM ISRAEL
(ANSAmed) – TEL AVIV, MARCH 31 – U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, during her third Middle East trip for the past months, received from Israel a list of measures which will be introduced in the immediate future to ease the living conditions in the West Bank.
The 35-page dossier includes the construction of thousands of new homes in Ramallah; the removal of “some 50” roadblocks along the roads in the West Bank and of a military checkpoint; the strengthening of the operative capacities of the police of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and several thousand new entrance permits in Israel for Palestinian workers.
“We’ve been told that this is going to start and, hopefully even be completed in a relatively short period of time. I am expecting it to happen very, very soon,” Rice said. Saturday, Rice met in Jerusalem Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Yesterday, she met Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayad for the first time together with Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak, then had talks with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and the leader of the rightist opposition Benyamin Netanyahu (Likud). Rice also visited Amman for a meeting with PNA President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen). Today she will meet Olmert again.
In a move, which Barak defined as “calculated risk”, Israel has also decided to remove from the streets in the West Bank some 50 roadblocks (of the over 459 counted by the Israeli human rights organisation Betselem) and a military checkpoint (of a total 99) south of Jericho from where Palestinians will be able to reach the northern coast of the Dead Sea, a famous tourist destination, so far forbidden.
Say good-bye to the resorts.
Israel will allow the construction north of Ramallah of between 5,000 and 8,000 homes for Palestinians, a measure announced a year ago and affirmed now.
Israel has also agreed to grant 5,000 work permits to Palestinians, to add to the previously issued 18,500 permits.
The functioning of the PNA police will be strengthened: the Palestinian police will be allowed to dislocate 700 agents in Jenin, while 25 Russian armoured vehicles will enter service in Nablus.(ANSAmed).
I have said in the past that there is no “cycle of violence” because Israel will be bombed no matter what.
Why do I believe this?
Because I’ve been watching the puppet shows.
UPDATE, Tuesday 1 April
What if Condoleezza Rice came to Jerusalem, and nobody cared?, via Judith.
Not to worry- this is all an exercise in futility.
Whatever they are given, the Palestinians will either destroy or piss away.
See this:
http://sigmundcarlandalfred.wordpress.com/2008/01/29/middle-class-dreams-arab-world-failure/
Actually, this is the link I meant t0 leave-
http://sigmundcarlandalfred.wordpress.com/2007/06/28/the-mystery-of-the-invisible-palestinian-middle-class/
Siggy, I don’t quite understand how either post relates to the USA demanding ever-more concessions from Israel.
Care to clarify?
I just don’t get this. Why thump your chest that Israel has a right to exist, but then continually chip away at its rights and borders? Keep it up and there’s nothing to thump your chest about.
Why thump your chest that Israel has a right to exist, but then continually chip away at its rights and borders?
Why, indeed!
There must be something in the water of the White House itself that makes administrations –of either party!– act like idiots in their last year or so when it comes to the Middle East.
Idiots in the WH (and to no small degree in the State Department) think like the world that if Israel only gives enough, that the Pali’s will see the light. Well, they won’t; no how, no way, their ideology blinds them to any degree of human decency. What will happen is what allways happens, we are the bully’s pushing Israel into concessions who in turn will continue to be bullied by the Pali’s and their Islamic fellow travelors. I’m surprised (NOT) that Bush doesn’t know that the only way to treat with a bully is with a big stick abruptly applied to the side of his head with sufficient force to knock the crap out of them then dare them to get up for some more.
GM –
Or a 9 iron, with an overlapping grip!! (that’s my Dad’s line, and I’m shamelessly stealing it!)
Fausta:1)Your posting on
Argentina has the following that needs correction:
Argentinian armers have had to pay a 35% income tax on profits ( Soybean farmers militant ?)
2) There is a glitch where the Comments section on the Argentina posting does not open. Software Peronista?
Oh dear. I’ll go correct it, gringo.