OTOH the Palestinians do not represent an existential threat to Israel tragic and serious as the terror was. The solution was well within Israel's hands and borders to control. And in fact Israel ended Intifada 2 when they struck back beginning with Operation Defensive Shield after the Passover Massacre.
American policy under Pres Bush reflected the desires of most Israelis including its leadership. Like it or not the reality is that PM Sharon called for separation and a Palestinian State. You can't be more Catholic than the Pope.
My own gut feeling is that PM Sharon and others sought to get the Palestinians out of the way before the more serious issue of Iran comes to the fore. That moment is rapidly approaching.
Now that Hamas has been elected many say it is a reflection of the mistake of disengagement. Wrong. It is a reflection that Arafat died and the stranglehold on Palestinians was relaxed. The election of Hamas provides some advantages to Israel chiefly that Hamas is tied to the global Jihad movement which means that the world, not just Israel, may be interested in their curtailment. In terms of parochial interests, terror and seeking the destruction of Israel, Fatah and Hamas are indistinguishable. The Europeans and leftists of all nationalities and stripes, including Israelis, were able to convince themselves in the face of obvious contradictory evidence that Fatah was interested in coexistence. The same will occur with Hamas at a lightening speed pace.
I would only expect European attitudes to change if they make the global connection. Hamas is part of the Muslim Brotherhood. The Brotherhood is the seed group for Al Qaeda, Zawahiri's starting point.
Daniel Pipes has an excellent article on the Hamas election:
http://www.nysun.com/pf.php?id=26722
Sharon was responding to the Saudi Plan and the "Road Map".
Even as wrong as Sharon was, which recent events have just begun to prove, his plan was contingent on a Bush promise to recognize certain Israeli positions including vis a vis the "West Bank". Promises now disavowed by the Administration.
If you don't believe Hamas to the East and West and Hazballah to the North, is an existential threat to Israel- especially when Islamics make inroads in Jordan and Egypt- wait and see.
American policy under Pres Bush reflected the desires of most Israelis including its leadership. Like it or not the reality is that PM Sharon called for separation and a Palestinian State. You can't be more Catholic than the PopeThere's some here who seem to think that Sharon is some sort of traitor to Israel.
-Eric