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The Palestine Problem off Sharon's Agenda? (Ronald Hilton, USA, 10/07/04 5:01 pm)

From the UK, John Heelan writes:  WAISers might have missed yesterday's announcement by Dov Weisglass, Sharon's most senior adviser and one of the main architects of the plan to withdraw 7500 settlers.   He said the plan was the "formaldehyde" necessary to ensure "there will not be a political process with the Palestinians", continuing, "The significance of the disengagement is the freezing of the peace process.   When you freeze that process, you prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state, and you prevent a discussion on the {Palestinian] refugees, the borders and [the status of] Jerusalem...... Effectively, this whole package has been removed indefinitely from our agenda. And with authority and permission. All with a presidential blessing and the ratification of both houses of Congress" Source: The Independent (10/7/04).  I particularly draw WAISers' attention to the last sentence,  inviting them to compare it with the rhetoric of the President Bush and Senator Kerry over the last few months.  Further, I invite them to ponder the likely provenance of political and other influences that has persuaded the President, the presidential contender and, apparently,  both houses of Congress to ratify Sharon's slowing the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that is so critical to peace and democracy in the Middle East.

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