Sideline Arafat, Boost Abbas

Newsweek ^ | 6/9/03 | Fareed Zakaria

[LdSentinal]

Make no mistake, Arafat will try to derail this peace process. He has absolutely no incentive to see his prime minister succeed

June 9 issue — If nothing else, this week’s Middle East summits will produce a great many photographs of smiling leaders. But to understand how long and hard the road to peace is, consider the photograph that you have not seen.

LAST THURSDAY Ariel Sharon met with the new prime minister of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas. It was, everyone agreed, a serious and productive meeting, the kind that politicians love to publicize. Except that there is no public photograph of it, nor of their first meeting on May 17. Each side claims that the other didn’t want to release pictures of the two men shaking hands or even seated together. You know things are fragile when diplomacy isn’t even at the photo-op stage.

[DoughtyOne]

On FoxNews today, they were mentioning how Bush had asked our allies to avoid sending envoys to meet with Arafat, redirecting them to Abas. The idea was to boost Abas and allow Arafat to wither on the vine.

The French responded by sending an envoy to meet with Arafat.

Behind Hamas and discounting the Palestinians, the French are the single most negative influence on peace in the middle east. Their nation deserves sanctions and no trade or special treatment from us.

I wonder how they'd like to have MFN or whatever it's posing as these days, revoked.

[onyx]

I'm proud and thrilled that President Bush has never, not ever, not even once, met with or acknowledged Arafat, especially since Arafat was a frequent guest at the Clinton WH.

[DoughtyOne]

I am too. I am however quite unhappy with some of Bush's administration who used to remain silent after the suicide bombings then demand restraint every time Israel responded. At one point they demanded Israel cease one of their incursions after they had been hit by several severe bombings. I'm not forgetting.

[onyx]

I have a low opinion of the state department too. It remains democrat infested.

[longjack]

Germany's Foreign Minister, Joschka Fischer, met with Arafat as well at the end of March. Did FOX news mention that?

Sharon was furious. An Israeli politician had also arranged to meet Fischer during that trip, but in East Jeruselem. Fischer refused to attend at that venue, the Israeli refused to change the venue. The meeting was cancelled

longjack

[DoughtyOne]

Sadly it doesn't help to have a man I used to have a great deal of respect for, head up the department and suffer a melt-down. I realized long ago he wasn't presidential timber, but now I don't want him anywhere near government at all.

He's a bright man. Some of his public statements are brilliant, but you can't have a loose cannon like him around. You never know when he'll go off.

At least that's how I see it.

[DoughtyOne]

In all honesty, I'm not sure when the Bush administration made this request. It may have been after March. I have no love for the Germans after their latest actions, believe me.

On another thread here, they're talking about the French lofting a satellite that we can't jam because it would jam ours too. All NATO members backed us when we asked France not to include this feature. The French did so anyway.

The down side of this is that the French want to sell useage to middle eastern nations who have a beef with us. If hostilities should break out, France's satellite would give them strategic advantage.

IMO the French have gone around the bend. It's time they got the full measure of their just rewards.

[onyx]

His role is diplomacy and he's perfected the art of speaking from both sides of the mouth. He walks tall and commands respect on the international stage, but I'm more concerned with US statesmanship and advocacy. Incidentally, he and Sharon are close, personal friends.

[DoughtyOne]

He may be friends with Sharon, but I'm not even comfortable with him any longer. Israel has given up quite a bit in the interest of peace. Frankly I'd have to see the Palestinians give up one hell of a lot before I'd advance my position at all.

You watch, this is all going to fall through after Israel makes a number of concessions. The concessions will stand and Israel will be left with egg and more shrapnel on it's face.

Hey, if I'd love to be wrong...

[DoughtyOne]

Scratch "if" in that last sentence.

[longjack]

I agree with you about the French.

On the Germany / Fischer issue: Fischer was the first foreign diplomat to visit Arafat since Sharon had put 'him on ice', so to speak. I was just wondering if FOX mentioned that.

longjack

[DoughtyOne]

With appologies, I didn't hear the German issue addressed in conjunction with the report I heard.

Around twelve to eighteen months ago I predicted that there might come a day when Europe would become an adversary of ours, what with the EU and calls for a new military force outside of NATO. Little did I know that they'd move that way so quickly.

Europe is imploding in on itself. AGAIN!

[longjack]

OK, Thanks, DoughtyOne.

I find the events in Europe very disconcerting, also. longjack