Thursday February 3, 2005

I've Been Thinking:

A peace summit is set for Sharm el Sheik next week.

Egypt is host. Jordan and the Palestinians are coming. So is Israel.

Yesterday, Egypt's National Security Adviser General Omar Suleiman invited Ariel Sharon to the summit while they were having a face to face 40 minute meeting in Israel.
What happened next? Suleiman returned to Egypt and met with none other than Haled Mashal, the head of Hamas.

Suleiman reported on Israel's concessions in relation to the ceasefire and tried to convince Hamas to join in the ceasefire.
Mashal retorted that Israel's concessions were not enough.

Egypt is trying to exert pressure on the extremists. They have far more power than the new Palestinian President Abbas.
There is more of a chance of Hamas joining a ceasefire when Egypt insists and Jordan requests than when the Palestinian begs.

In the Arab world, Egypt has a proven track record fighting extremists.
In the Arab world, Egypt is still the big power.