Free Republic

'The separation fence won't be a political border," declared prime minister Ariel Sharon in his 2004 Herzliya speech. Ehud Olmert has repeated this more than once. Recently, however, Defense Minister Ehud Barak has proposed not only treating the security barrier as a de-facto border, but also offering money to evacuate the Jews living on the eastern side of the fence. Barak's spiel is obvious: He aims to convince part of the public that he is a hawk, and the other part that he is the bona fide standard-bearer of the peace camp. And it isn't only Barak. Vice Premier Haim...

An Israeli government report says the Middle-East conflict has put the country on a collision course with the European Union. Although the EU has, until now, played no more than a minor role in efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the influential document from the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem warns that, as Brussels gains power, the EU will seek to isolate Israel. Zalman Shoval is a former Israeli ambassador to the US, and a foreign policy advisor to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. In this interview with Radio Netherlands, he gives his opinion on the report. "This is one view, there...

Oct. 15, 2003 Israel: Palestinian terrorists out to harm peacemakers By JPOST.COM STAFF The deadly road bomb attack on US convoy in Gaza Strip, in which three Americans were killed (see story), has drawn a multitude of Israeli, Palestinian and American reactions: Israel: No one is immune to Palestinian terrorism Israeli officials said the attack underscored the need to dismantle Palestinian terror groups — a requirement of the stalled, US-backed "road map" peace plan that Palestinian leaders have refused to carry out. Officials said Palestinian terrorists are trying to harm even those out to help the Palestinian cause, and that...