Rev. Jesse Jackson - Bush demand to oust Arafat will backfire

Ha'aretz ^ | Wednesday, June 26, 2002 Tamuz 16, 5762 | The Associated Press

[Phil V.]

w w w . h a a r e t z d a i l y . c o m

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Rev. Jesse Jackson: Bush demand to oust Arafat will backfire

GENEVA - The Rev. Jesse Jackson said Tuesday that U.S. President George Bush was making Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat a "living martyr" by demanding the Palestinians replace him as their leader.

"That's presumptuous and will not work," said Jackson, who is in Geneva in an attempt to build a "third force" of religious leaders to try to build peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

He said Bush's speech Monday laying out his promise of "provisional statehood" for Palestinians if they replace Arafat was fundamentally flawed.

"The precondition for statehood cannot be giving up the right to determine your own leadership," Jackson told an audience of about 150 at the American International Club.

He said he could imagine American outrage if Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev had told the United States in the 1980s that he would guarantee them peace if they would only replace Ronald Reagan as president.

"We would have rejected the arrogance, the very presumptuousness of the idea," Jackson said, adding that the same applies to the Palestinians. "Such an idea has the impact of empowering Arafat as a living martyr."

Instead it would mean an opening for the Islamic militant organization Hamas, a victory for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon "and peace for no one," Jackson said.

"As I listened to the president's speech yesterday and read it - the need to end the settlements, to end occupation, end suicide bombings, coexisting states, reconstruction - great themes, but no theme of reconciliation."

Jackson said a grand peace plan for the Middle East must be based on international law, human rights, self-determination and reconciliation.

"The Palestinians don't have a right to determine Israel's leader, nor does the U.S., because it breaks fundamental self-determination. So the U.S. has a heavier job to do than choosing sides. It must reconcile sides. That's the heavy lifting."

He noted that he had visited the World Council of Churches in Geneva to urge the organization of Protestant and Orthodox churches to convene a conference of global religious leaders to "build some third force between the two opposing forces for reconciliation and reconstruction."

The United States also should play such a role, Jackson said. "We're challenged as a nation. We are now the sole global leader, and yet we have such strong unilateral and isolationist tendencies. It is as if our leadership sees the world more and more through a keyhole and not through a door."

Jackson said the risks were great that the Palestinian-Israeli violence could spill over to Europe and the United States and change the world overnight.

"The U.S. and Israel are facing isolation at a time when both need coalition. Our nation is becoming the object of intense hatred and vilification. Many forces are plotting and hoping for our downfall. While we are a strong nation militarily and economically, the arrogance of power and indifference to other people's opinions or feelings are perilous."

_{By The Associated Press}

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[Phil V.]

OMG!

[Paleo Conservative]

We still need to oust Jackson.

[section9]

Apologies to the Admin Moderators and the rest of the Freepers...

Hey Jessie! Bl#w me!

What a putz. He needs to go find another mistress.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[Republican Wildcat]

Jesse Jackson, foreign policy expert...

[Phil V.]

I do not believe that most here at FreeRepublic comprehend how this is such incredibly good news for Israel and BAD news for the Palestinians. "This", meaning JJ's take on the Bush speech. . . . JJ's "kiss of death".

Arafat should spare himself AND his people the agony that comes with JJ's "service".

Condolences . . .

[Paul Atreides]

Jesse, don't you have a chirren to take to daycare?

[crazykatz]

YOU SLAY ME....hahahhahahahaha!!!

[Phil V.]

There jus HAS to be a pony here somewhere . . .

[LarryLied]

This is very, very good. Spilt the liberal coalition. I was sorry to see Democrat incumbent and CBC member Hilliard lose in the primary today. The idiot refused to condemn suicide bombings in a House floor vote. Now we going to get someone just as liberal in the Alabama seat who is acceptable to Jewish Democrats. Time to start asking again on liberal African American forums why there are no Blacks in the U.S. Senate when they voted 91% for Gore/Lieberman.

[denydenydeny]

These idiots don't understand that this policy will force the Palestinians either to abandon terror and corruption (both symbolized in Arafat), or, more likely, to commit suicide. Either way, we win. And more importanly, it restores the Israel/Palestine situation to the backburner it occupied prior to Saddam ginning up the intifada.

[Phil V.]

See #8

[Faraday]

He said he could imagine American outrage if Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev had told the United States in the 1980s that he would guarantee them peace if they would only replace Ronald Reagan as president.

"We would have rejected the arrogance, the very presumptuousness of the idea," Jackson said...

Nonsense, of course. Jackson would have hailed Gorby for his wise socialist foresight. In fact, didn't he say exactly this in 1984?

BTW, no mention of terrorism from the Reverend. Surprise.

[upchuck]

"The U.S. and Israel are facing isolation at a time when both need coalition. Our nation is becoming the object of intense hatred and vilification.

Oh brother!

[StoptheDonkey]

For once Jesse is probably right ! The biggest terrorist in the mid-east is Ariel Sharon and his gang of Israeli supporters !

Bush's demanding the expulsion of Arafat a tottering 73 yr.old man who is suffering the ravages of cancer and Parkinsons isn't just dumb - it is empty-headed.

Bush has placed himself and the Republican party in a "no-win" situation, when Arafat goes, which will and would be soon and the area erupts in escalating violence ( in which the biggest aggressor will be Israeli ethnic cleansing ) Bush will be blamed !

[Michael.SF.]

Jesse Jackson?

Didn't he use to be somebody of some importance to the Black people of the USA?

[11B3]

You really aren't so clueless as to actually believe that AreSoFat stops any of the violence by his minions, are you? If so, stick around, I'll enjoy watching the flames.

[zarf]

Jesse's strategic vision is overwhelmingly astute........(*&!vomit*!# )

[Texas Mom]

Speaking of arrogance Jesse.. Take a look in the mirror.

[niki]

Dear Jesse - you ignorant puke,

Bush outlined America's policy. If you want America's help, here is what the Palestinians need to do. The Palestinians do not dictate the terms of America's foreign policy. They are free to elect a terrorist, it just means nothing will change and America will not help them.

Niki