A Hot Time in the Old Settlement Tonight

[erikred]

In case you missed it, Ariel Sharon just got approval from the Knesset to remove the settlers from the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Believe me, this is not going to be the death knell of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, but removing the antagonistic settlers from the mix will make it easier to have a more reasonable conversation.

As loathe as I am in general to praise the man, kudos to Sharon for risking a possible Likkud mutiny to take a step in the right direction.

Comments

[tagryn]

Well, I suppose only Nixon could go to China...

This was pretty much hand in hand with putting up the security barrier - no point in having such a thing if there's going to be Israelis on both it.

If what happened after the sides of withdrawal from Lebanon is any indication, groups like Hamas will take this as a signal that the Israelis are on the run. This is probably why the IDF has been so aggressive in assassinating the Hamas leadership over the past year, so that an organized response will be hard for the extremists to put together, at least until the barrier & withdrawl is complete.

[erikred.livejournal.com]

True. Also note that control of water and egress remain in the hands of Israel. This is certainly not a complete about-face by dear old Ari.