Embalming the Peace Process

[Violet_Crumble]

Israel’s left-leaning newspaper Ha’aretz ran an interview with Sharon’s senior advisor Dov Weinglass that is nothing less than extraordinary. In the interview, Weinglass reveals Israel’s hidden strategy in dealing with the 37 year long conflict in Palestine. The solution, as Weinglass suggests, is “a long-term interim situation” (Sharon’s disengagement plan) that precludes negotiations with the Palestinians.

This is less difficult to understand than it seems. As Weinglass opines, “The disengagement plan makes it possible for Israel to park conveniently in an interim situation that distances us as far as possible from political pressure. It legitimizes our contention that there is no negotiating with the Palestinians.”

“Park conveniently in an interim situation?” In other words, the “long-term interim situation” is a well considered plan to do nothing; no concessions for peace, just the rigorous maintenance of the status quo. It is a formula that vindicates the continuing settlement activity and, of course, the dismantling of Palestinian society. It is an astonishing admission.

Weinglass concedes that the Sharon’s original acceptance of the road map was predicated on the belief that “the eradication of terrorism precedes the start of the political process." The improbability of complete calm ensures that Israel will not be responsible for “painful” concessions like withdrawing from the territories. Instead, Sharon can point to terrorism as the convenient justification for continuing occupation and stepped up settlement activity.

Shifting gears from the road map to the “disengagement plan” is strictly a matter of nuance, since the Israeli leadership has no intention of allowing Palestinian objectives to be realized. The distinction is, however, noteworthy; if only to appreciate the full Machiavellian character of Wineglass’s thought-process.

http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=107&ItemID=6428

[seventhson]

1. I guess the Israeli people AND the Palestinian people are totally F#cled

No Peace. No Negotiations. No settlement of Issues.

Just ongoing war and more deaths of Israeli and Palestinian children.

Thanks Sharon for going to the Mount asshole.

Thanks Bush for refusing to meet with the Palestinians elected reps.

assholes all.

The killing of peace in Israel is as antisemitic and self-loathing as it gets. I feel sorry for the people of Israel and Palestine. They need to wake up and oust Sharon as we need to oust Bush in November.

[Smarmie Doofus]

2. Well, in other words, he wants to "park" in a

"no parking zone". "

Long as USA taxpayers foot the bill, of course.

Doesn't matter how many dead Arabs (they're not really people). Doesn't matter how many dead ISRAELIS (BTW, how many suicide attacks were there in the period '93 to '00 ? And why??)

Not much of a surprise, really. Just that they are now stating openly what had heretofore been a (poorly) hidden agenda.

Paul

[bemildred]

3. This has done been explaned away:

Get drunk first, it helps.

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/letters/articles/2004/10/17/clarification_of_advisers_statement/