The General Capitulated

After boldly confronting the West Bank settlers on the issue of the 42 outposts built since the Wye accords, and after declaring that most of them were illegal, it appears that Ehud Barak has surrendered totally and completely. First he vowed to remove all the illegal outposts, then he settled on 15. After threats from the settlers and their supporters to return to the confrontations of the Rabin administration (almost assassination threats in a way) it appears that Barak has capitulated completely. Barak "negotiated" with the settlers and it was announced that 12 outposts would be cleared voluntarily. However, an interview by the IMRA news agency with a Settler’s Council spokesman indicates that actually almost no outposts will be cleared (story at http://www.mideastweb.org/mewnews/mnv1n5.htm): some will be shifted; some will be dismantled and rebuilt with better paperwork; some did not really ever exist.

Instead of demonstrating at least a small resolve for peace by removing outposts, Barak has now put the stamp of legality on them. Instead of building a consensus for peace, Barak has capitulated and allowed the settlers to build a consensus for grabbing of territory and obstruction of justice.

Ami Isseroff

Rehovot

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PEACE is a Mid - East Dialog Group commited to peace and neighborly relations.We have no official political opinions. PEACE was started by Ameen Hannoun, a Jordanian/Palestinian and Ami Isseroff, an Israeli. You are welcome to join, and to contribute ariticles and ideas for promoting peace and dialog.  More about PEACE.

An outsider looks at the Palestinian - Israeli Conflict - Anyone interested in creative solutions to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict must read this essay by Matthew Hogan PEACEMAKING VIA NON-IDEOLOGY or CONFESSIONS OF A PRO-ISRAEL ANTI-ZIONIST.

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