NationStates Jolt Archive

WASHINGTON, 15 April 2004; In a reversal of decades-old US Mideast policy, President George W. Bush yesterday gave his blessing to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharons plan to pull out of Gaza and retain a handful of Jewish settlements in the West Bank

"These are historic and courageous actions. If all parties choose to embrace this moment they can open the door to progress and put an end to one of the worlds longest-running conflicts" said Bush following a White House meeting with Sharon.

The Palestinian Premier Ahmed Qorei quickly said that US support for Sharons plan was unacceptable and a violation of the road map to Middle East peace drawn up by the United States with the European Union, Russia and the United Nations.

In a move also likely to enrage the Arab world, Bush said Palestinian refugees must settle in an eventual Palestinian state, essentially ruling out their right of return to lands lost to Israel in 1948.

"In light of new realities on the ground, including already existing major Israeli population centres, it is unrealistic to expect that the outcome of final status negotiations will be a full and complete return to the armistice lines of 1949", he said, referring to large settlements in the West Bank.

Speaking in the West Bank, Qorei told reporters: "We cannot accept that... This will be decided in negotiations. It cannot be decided by the president of the United States what is realistic and what is not realistic. It is not realistic that the Israelis occupy Palestinian territories; it is not realistic that the Israelis build the separation wall on the Palestinian territories".

Palestinian Negotiations Minister Saeb Erekat said: "Bush does not have the right to negotiate in the name of the Palestinian people".

Source: Arab News (okay so maybe it's a little biased in its style of reporting despite my trimmings, but the facts stand as they are).

So what are your thoughts?

It's retarded. He gives them the Gaza Strip but steals the best land in the West Bank.

Like always, the Israelis come out on the better side of the agreements. The West Bank and the Gaza Strip it not theirs. They must return it fully to the Palestinians and remove their settlements.

What plan number are we uo to now? 10, 20?

I think Bush and Sharon are trying to pull a rabbit out of a hat. It certainly would look good on Bush's resume for the election but if anything it shows that Bush is grasping for straws, and perhaps divert attention from what is happening in Iraq?

Bush had already laid out a "road map" to peace, and it appears that the latest proposal is a detour.

It's retarded. He gives them the Gaza Strip but steals the best land in the West Bank.

Like always, the Israelis come out on the better side of the agreements. The West Bank and the Gaza Strip it not theirs. They must return it fully to the Palestinians and remove their settlements.
I have to agree with you Al. Nothing else is going to come close.

It's retarded. He gives them the Gaza Strip but steals the best land in the West Bank.

Like always, the Israelis come out on the better side of the agreements. The West Bank and the Gaza Strip it not theirs. They must return it fully to the Palestinians and remove their settlements.

It's Israel's ancient homeland anyway(much more ancient than the so called palestinians, since the palestinians arrived after Mohammed with the arabs, and they have nothing to do with any of the oldest neighbours of Israel like the phoenicians). Don't expect Israel to say "Hey, we will give you everything you want, just write it on a paper and i'll tell the rest of my people what just happened. They'll understand."

That's even more, if not irrational, it is not realistic. The only way there will be peace is for this two separate people to live appart one from each other, and for both to lose. Both have to lose something. None can win.

But in the other hand, if the Israelis have two rogue territories on both of it's sides, it would be a danger. Nobody can give the jews warranty of security, and most important, a territory of their own.

On the other hand, for the palestinians, they have an ensured place almost anywhere they want, since they are the same people as in the rest of the neighbouring countries, but with a different names. Europe is included, since it will end up in arab hands anyway.

I'll believe it when I see it.