January 05, 2004

UNILATERALISM CURES MANY ILLS:

Sharon: Israel Will Dismantle Settlements (LAURIE COPANS, January 5, 2004 , Associated Press)

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told angry leaders of his Likud Party on Monday that Israel will have to dismantle Jewish settlements as part of any peace deal and that he was prepared to act regardless of their criticism.

Sharon's speech was his first appearance before his party's hard-line central committee since he unveiled his plan last month to dismantle some settlements and unilaterally draw a boundary with the Palestinians if peace efforts remain stalled. He refused to back down Monday, despite a hail of boos and jeers from infuriated committee members who reject the idea of a Palestinian state and oppose any removal of settlements.

"The separation plans are mine and I will carry them out,'' he said, staring at his critics. ``I will carry them out." [...]

Vice Premier Ehud Olmert said Sharon was trying to lead the public "down a different road'' that would lead to new boundaries and fewer settlements.

Sharon told the nearly 3,000 member committee that he remained committed to the road map, which would almost certainly require Israel to evacuate some settlements to make way for a Palestinian state. "It is clear that in a permanent peace accord, we will have to give up some of the Jewish settlements,'' Sharon said.

However, if there is no progress toward peace soon, Sharon said he would order a unilateral disengagement from the Palestinians that would include moving some Jewish settlements.


If someone had told you on September 10, 2001 that by the end of Goerge W. Bush's first term Afghanistan and Iraq would be free and democratic and that Palestine would be an independent state, you'd have had to assume he'd win theNobel Peace Prize that year too.

Posted by Orrin Judd at January 5, 2004 04:58 PM
Comments

Not hardly. The only way they'd give Bush (or any Republican) a Nobel Peace Prize is if he committed seppuku--with all the bells and whistles.

Posted by: ray at January 5, 2004 06:43 PM

There is one other way - Bush could invade Scandanavia and take the prize himself.

Posted by: jim hamlen at January 5, 2004 06:54 PM

Why on Earth would Bush want to be on a list that includes thugs like Yaser Arafat and morons like Jimmy Carter?

Posted by: MarkD at January 5, 2004 08:21 PM

Good question. People who angle for the prize always belittle themselves. So start looking for another American ex-president to begin a new campaign.

Posted by: ratbert at January 5, 2004 10:30 PM

I'd rather he get the Freedom Prize, which is more valuable than the Peace Prize. Too bad the Nobel committee doesn't see it that way.

Posted by: Robert D at January 5, 2004 11:41 PM

I'm of the opinion that the only prize W. wants is to preserve America, do his job the best he can, and retire in peace to Crawford.

This is an exceptional man. In these very treacherous times, he has taken the reins and held on tight, fighting enemies, masking disappointed from fair weather friends, and making utter fools of his many detractors by keeping above the petty fray.

I don't think he gives much credence to prizes, especially those, as was pointed out above, that have been bequeathed in the past to some highly dubious characters.

Posted by: Barry Meislin at January 6, 2004 01:56 AM
« CHOOSE WAR: | Main | HUGE: »