Dan set up the image!
Nice decor.
Posted on 11/03/2001 4:55:29 AM PST by richwolo
Blair is greeted by Israeli defiance
By Paul Waugh Deputy Political Editor in Jerusalem
02 November 2001
Mauled in Syria, frustrated in Israel, but Blair remains a man with a mission
Arafat's welcome masks Palestinian mistrust
Rumsfeld makes Moscow visit to strengthen ties Tony Blair vowed last night to continue his efforts to restart the Middle East peace process and build an international coalition against terrorism, despite Israel's refusal to abandon its policy of assassinating leading militants and occupying Palestinian towns.
Mr Blair will use Concorde's return to the skies to fly to Washington next week to brief President George Bush on his talks in the Middle East. He is then likely to fly back to London immediately for a meeting with Ariel Sharon, the Israeli Prime Minister.
At the end of his most bruising foreign encounter since he came to office, the Prime Minister declared in Jerusalem that he was determined to get his "hands dirty'' in the pursuit of peace because the Arab- Israeli dispute threatened the security and stability of the whole world. But in an example of the realities Mr Blair faces in his attempt to build international agreement in response to the events of 11 September, Mr Sharon was unrepentant about his forces assassinating two suspected Hamas members in the West Bank only hours before the two leaders met.
At a joint press conference with Mr Blair, Mr Sharon made clear that he would not end his controversial policy of "targeted killing'' that has claimed more than 60 lives in the past year. He also refused to pull back Israeli forces from four Palestinian towns that remain occupied, unless Yasser Arafat put an end to attacks on Israeli civilians.
Mr Blair made an impassioned defence of his trip to the region, declaring that it was better to try to get all parties together than to do nothing. He said: "We are in a situation where there are real dangers in the world. You can either get your hands dirty and sort them out or stand aside and let events be driven by people of violence and extremism."
Later he met the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in Gaza City and warned that Osama bin Laden sought to create Taliban-type states all over the Arab and Muslim world.
Mr Blair also moved to support the Pakistani government after the Al-Jazeera satellite television channel, based in Qatar, broadcast a statement purportedly from Mr bin Laden in which he criticised the country's President, General Pervez Musharraf.
Source: Ha'aretz
Author: Aluf Benn
"At a joint press conference Thursday with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, British Prime Minister Tony Blair refrained from criticizing Israel's policy of "targeted killings," saying that he could "understand the pressures prime minister Sharon faces and that of the Israeli people who see their people killed every day."
Bulldozing apartments, homes and businesses by Sharon's IDF is far from a peaceful gesture. The crack within Israel by Jews of various political persuasions is widening. If Sharon does not soon moderate his agressive policies, he will be history. He will be thrown out by his own people, those Israelis who are sick of the war mode that Israel has been in since Sharon took office.
As I remember recent events, it was the Palestinians who initiated the lastest "Intifada" and who have perpetuated it by refusing to honor any of the cease-fires that have been negotiated since.
Do you honsetly believe that the Israelis are going to sit back and allow the Palestinians to kill them with drive-by shootings, suicide bombs, mortars, etc. without shooting back?
You seem to have forgotten the bomb set in the traffic circle that blew up two traffic cops two days before Sharons pre authorized visit to the Temple mount, or the Jewish Police officer shot in the head at point blank range by his Palestinian "partner" the day before the visit. Somehow dead Jews make no impression on you, where kids throwing rocks does.
Collective memory loss is a thing you share with Clinton...
Repeatedly firing machine guns at passing cars from those buildings is a bit far from a peaceful gesture too. But then, in your view of the world, that is not worth even mentioning is it? Multiple Jewish dead don’t compare to a Palestinian building.
Jews get gunned down every day over here. Mortars fly into housing areas almost every night, and bombs go off in cities all the time. Where are your complaints about terrorism? Strangely lacking. Better to knock a house down with a bulldozer than blow it up with a 500lb airdrop. You might just take out half a block of 'innocent' neighbors.
But if it really pisses you off, I guess you should suggest they do it your way. Obviously life means nothing to you, compared to land.
Indeed, how DARE a JEW or a CHRISTIAN, defile a piece of property holy to three religions by WALKING on the GROUND! Surely enough reason to start blowing up shopping malls and pizza parlors!. Besides Israeli pizza is not very good compared to Round Table. Mom's and Kids should DIE for that I am sure. Boy, you sure are on solid ground here.
Dan set up the image!
Nice decor.
And Blair's taking a Concorde to Washington!!!
The plane or Abdullah?
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