A "whetting the appetite" gesture
A "whetting the appetite" gesture
Last week the editors of the Washington Post lauded "A boost for Mr. Abbas". Among the important elements of that "boost" was the prisoner release. It did not go unappreciated, did it?:
Perhaps calculating that he had gone too far in denying support to Mr. Abbas, Mr. Sharon promised during his own visit to Washington this week to move ahead with the release of 400 Palestinian prisoners and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from West Bank towns.
So what kind of a boost did the release provide?
Names of the 400 Palestinian detainees the Israeli cabinet on Sunday voted 18-3 to approve their release are posted on Israel’s Prisons Authority Internet Web site.
They have completed two thirds of their sentences. The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) was disappointed and said the Israeli step was “one-sided” and “not enough.”
Or as one of the released terrorists says:
"Freedom is precious but our happiness will never be complete until all (8,000) of our brothers suffering in jails of the (Israeli) occupation are freed," al-Aqra, 38, said.
"If Israel really wants peace, they must free all of us, especially those in prison for more than 20 or 30 years," he added, echoing a collective grievance of Palestinians over jailed compatriots they see as heroes fighting occupation.
If these quotes sound familiar, they should. We've been hearing them a lot since 1993. In his "exit interview" with Avi Shavit in Ha'aretz, outgoing COS Gen Yaalon explains this succinctly:
"Time will tell. I repeat what I said: we have a situation of reverse asymmetry. The State of Israel is ready to give the Palestinians an independent Palestinian state, but the Palestinians are not ready to give us an independent Jewish state. Thus the situation here is not stable. That is why every agreement that will be made is the point of departure for the next development of irredentism. For the next conflict. The next war. Despite their military weakness, the Palestinians feel that they are making progress. They have a feeling of success. Whereas we are waging a battle of withdrawal and delay."
(BTW, read the whole interview. It is deeply disturbing. It is also available at
IMRA.)
Later on in the above editorial
the Washington Post falsely claimed:U.S. Lt. Gen. William E. Ward, who has been monitoring the Palestinian security efforts, delivered a mostly positive assessment to the White House, countering an Israeli campaign to portray Mr. Abbas as having failed to act.
I don't doubt that Gen Ward may have given a positive review to Mr. Abbas, but that he's not doing enough (or anything) is not a matter of an Israeli campaign, but is evident from the news reports surrounding the prisoner release as well as Gen Yaalon's comments.
Crossposted on
Israpundit and
Soccer Dad.
Posted by David Gerstman at June 3, 2005 06:17 AM
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Last week the editors of the Washington Post lauded "A boost for Mr. Abbas". Among the important elements of that "boost" was the prisoner release. It did not go unappreciated, did it?:Perhaps calculating that he had gone too far in... [Read More]
Tracked on June 3, 2005 03:11 PM
A "whetting the appetite" gesture
Last week the editors of the Washington Post lauded "A boost for Mr. Abbas". Among the important elements of that "boost" was the prisoner release. It did not go unappreciated, did it?:
So what kind of a boost did the release provide?
Or as one of the released terrorists says:
If these quotes sound familiar, they should. We've been hearing them a lot since 1993. In his "exit interview" with Avi Shavit in Ha'aretz, outgoing COS Gen Yaalon explains this succinctly:
(BTW, read the whole interview. It is deeply disturbing. It is also available at IMRA.)Later on in the above editorial the Washington Post falsely claimed: I don't doubt that Gen Ward may have given a positive review to Mr. Abbas, but that he's not doing enough (or anything) is not a matter of an Israeli campaign, but is evident from the news reports surrounding the prisoner release as well as Gen Yaalon's comments.
Crossposted on Israpundit and Soccer Dad.
Posted by David Gerstman at June 3, 2005 06:17 AM