« March 2005 | Main | May 2005 » Terror Numbers Up?
By Micah Halpern
Saturday April 30, 2005 I've Been Thinking: This week the US State Department released terror figures worldwide for 2004. Major terror attacks are up 30% in Iraq, 6% in Israel, and 4% in Afghanistan compared to the figures for 2003. But really, the figures and these studies are misleading and silly. Using their logic, 2001 was a good year. Numbers are not what is important. Weigh each incident. US Bias is Good
By Micah Halpern
Friday April 29, 2005 I've Been Thinking: A former leading member of the US peace team for the Middle East, Aaron Miller, just stated publicly that the United States has a bias in negotiating between Israel and the Palestinians. He said that at Camp David, in the summer of 2000, the US acted "like a lawyer for Israel." He said the US advocated in defense of Israel over the Palestinians and did not act as an honest, impartial, mediator. Here is a newsflash: BUT and this is a big but, that bias should not prevent the US from being an active and positive Middle East mediator. What that bias does, is prevent undo pressure from being brought against Israel, as is often the case in the United Nations and throughout the European community. The United States is the only World Power capable of pressuring both Israel and the Palestinians into an agreement and holding both their proverbial feet to the fire to achieve a realistic and just resolution. In the end it is not about the mediator. Ineptitude Not Security
By Micah Halpern
Thursday April 28, 2005 I've Been Thinking: Yesterday. 10:35 am. The blip on the radar? In the end it was actually a flock of birds or a cloud. Something is definitely wrong here. The best and the brightest, the most sophisticated technology in the world, all to protect the most powerful leader in the free world. What a snafu! Israel Can Hit Iran
By Micah Halpern
Wednesday April 27, 2005 I've Been Thinking: Israel will probably acquire 100 GBU-28 bombs from the United States. GBU-28 stands for Guided Bomb Unit # 28. The real purpose of Israel's acquisition of the GBU-28 is to seriously counter check the threat of nuclear development in Iran. After Israel acquires the GBU-28's there is no doubt in my mind that Israel can and if necessary, will, attack Iran's nukes. Obtaining the GBU-28 is the easy part. Once Israel gets the GBU-28 the difficult work begins. Israel must then locate Iran's top-secret underground nuclear bunkers. Lebanon Might Invite Syria Back
By Micah Halpern
Tuesday April 26, 2005 I've Been Thinking: Syria just pulled their last 300 soldiers out of Lebanon. But do not get your hopes up. More than half of Lebanon is pro-Syrian and actually welcomes Syrian involvement in their lives and politics. The West, especially the US, has no idea of what is really happening in the Arab world. This is just one example. GAZA: ACTING OUT OF FAITH
By Micah Halpern
Monday April 25, 2005 Column: Unrealistic. How can I best describe the Jewish residents of Gaza? As unrealistic. Believers. How do the Jewish residents of Gaza describe themselves? As believers. The Jewish community in Gaza today is still living an unrealistic dream. For the most part, they are unprepared to leave. They believe in their mission. They believe that, somehow, a miracle will occur and save them from the evil that everyone else predicts will befall them. They actually pray that God save their country from its leaders. I've been to Jewish Gaza many times. I was there before it was a flourishing series of communities. I was there when Bill Clinton came to visit. I was there during troubled times and I've been there to vacation on the beach. What I experienced just a few days before Passover on what will probably, necessarily, realistically, be my last trip to Jewish Gaza was different from all other visits. Each visit is like a slap in the face. Those people who have chosen to live in Gaza have done so because of their faith, because of their commitment, because they believe in their mission of settling the land. I have always found these pioneers to be truly inspiring. This time, when all their hope should be lost but isn't, rather than inspire me, the Jewish residents of Gaza saddened me. Their mission is now futile. They are doing way too little and doing it way too late. The die has already been cast. The meetings in Washington and Jerusalem have been concluded. They will be leaving their homes. Ready of not, reality is coming. Had the men and women now clinging to their homes, their land, their businesses, the graves of their loved ones been more realistic they might have been able to mount a serious campaign. Had they been more realistic, they might have been able to open the eyes of many Israelis to their pioneering mission. But they didn't. And now, despite the millions of donor dollars, mainly US dollars, flowing in to support their right to continue living in their homes they will not to continue to live there. Pe'at Sadeh is the exception to the Gaza rule. The residents of this community have agreed, with one voice, to evacuate and receive a relocation settlement. Do they want to leave? No, they do not. But if they must, they will. And they will be properly compensated for their loss. In the words of one Pe'at Sadeh resident, the settlement is the life insurance policy they are leaving for their children. Iris Hamo, a 40 year-old mother of four showed tremendous maturity and heroism by taking this deal. She is not only leaving the home she has built for her children, she is leaving the original burial plot of a fifth child child, a four year-old killed in a car accident. Her baby will be re-intered in Israel proper after the redeployment. Preparing to forcibly leave your home is heart breaking, exhuming the grave of your child is soul wrenching. The rest of the Gaza settlers see the Hamo family and their Pe'at Sadeh neighbors as traitors to the cause. Everyone else believes that Pe'at Sadeh has negotiated a deal with the devil, with the government that is deporting these families from their homes. Note the use of the word "deporting", it is not lightly chosen. It is precisely and deliberately used to invoke historical memories of Germany. I'm always aware of security and possible terror. It's my job. And on this, my last trip to Jewish Gaza before the redeployment begins, all the proper safety precautions were in place for me and for my travel companions. An illusion of security was created for us by David Bedein and by his organization, Israel Media Resource Center. But I know the truth. And any visitor to Jewish Gaza can see the tanks and armored personnel carriers planted on corners. So was I surprised when one very vocal resident proclaimed that Palestinian terror was not her inconvenience, but having to wait for secure army escorts in order to enter or leave her community was what inconvenienced her? No, I wasn't. This women is and will continue to be convinced of her right to live in Jewish Gaza. She has faith in God. I found that to be very striking. Each community representative I met with vowed not to resist or fight the army. Each representative also made it clear that they really did not think they would be relocated. Like Hannah and her father Hannan who was evacuated from the Jewish Sinai settlement of Yamit in the 1980's, they each refused even to confront the possibility that they were going to be forced to leave their homes in the name of an international treaty. But they will. Uprooting people from their homes in the hope of peace pulls at your heartstrings. Uprooting them without a peace agreement is an act of faith. PA: A Banana Republic
By Micah Halpern
April 24, 2005 I've Been Thinking: It's outrageous. It's shocking. Things like this should not happen. There was a prison break in the Palestinian Authority. The escapees are Palestinian terrorists suspected of planning and training and activating the suicide bomb attack that blew up the Stage Night Club in Tel Aviv on January 25th. The attack murdered 5 people. Their names are Shafiq Abdel Ghani and Ahmed Zaki of Islamic Jihad. They were being held in a prison in Tul Karam awaiting trial. What is happening in the PA? How could this happen? How can the PA government be taken seriously? Does the Palestinian Authority hope that we will not notice that they just walked out of prison? This is real life, not a movie set. Gaza Is Not Israel
By Micah Halpern
Friday April 22, 2005 I've Been Thinking: Finally. The Great Rabbi Kadouri, over 100 years old and recognized as a world famous Kabbalist and mystic, has said that Gaza is not part of holy Israel and, therefore, can be given to the Palestinians. NOT part of Israel. This is enormously significant. Rabbi Kadouri speaks to a significant percentage of religious Israelis and an even higher percentage of non-religious Israelis. The rabbi qualified his statements by saying it is never ideal to remove Jews from their homes. But again, he said, Gaza is NOT Biblical Israel. There is a serious issue at stake. Is the issue now resolved for all Israelis? No. Certainly not for ideologues. AIPAC Finally Makes A Move
By Micah Halpern
Thursday April 21, 2005 I've Been Thinking: Lobby organizations are among the most powerful of forces in the free world. AIPAC has been under a cloud for the past few months. A deal will be struck. Now AIPAC must move on, resuscitating their name and reputation.
This Pope Will Fight Islam
By Micah Halpern
Thursday April 20, 2005 I've Been Thinking: This new Pope, Pope Benedict XVI, really understands Islam. I have been catching up on his writings and speeches from the past few years. To put it succinctly --- Pope Benedict sees radical Islam as a serious threat to the world, especially as a threat to Catholicism. Pope Benedict believes that there is an existential threat to the very existence of Christianity. Actually, in the year 2003 he articulated this thesis in a pseudo-official journal of the Church, La Civilta Cattolica. It was a serious divergence of opinion between the new Pope and his predecessor John Paul II. Believe me, this is a good sign for the Church and especially for Europe. The New Pope
By Micah Halpern
Tuesday April 19, 2005 I've Been Thinking: A new Pope has been chosen. For instance, Josef Ratzinger He is a strong conservative. Foreign Relations: Money Uberalis
By Micah Halpern
Monday April 18, 2005 Column: If the nations of the world were siblings, we would call the interaction between them family relations. But the world is not a family. It is a conglomeration of different, disparate, at times warring, often in conflict nations with varying needs, wants and realities. And so, we call the interaction between nations foreign relations. Step back and ask yourself how nations really make decisions about important internal matters and international affairs, about foreign relations. Very often, too often perhaps, decisions are based on a process called quid pro quo. And the biggest uncle of all nations when it comes to quid pro quo is the United States. In official foreign relation-ese quid pro quo has another name it's called "bundled into a US aid package." I am referring to the "aid" that Uncle Sam, the United States, gives to countries for behaving in a certain way. The incentives and rewards they hand out for creating and implementing policies that the United States appreciates. This "aid" action by the United States (or by any nation) could easily be interpreted as just a big bribe. But in the polite world of foreign relations it is simply seen as motivation "to do the right thing." By any objective analysis it means Doing The Right Thing By US Standards. For many countries the sad truth is that issues are not as important as the aid they will receive and the promises that come along with it. These nations are eager and willing to accept the money and change their policies. They are convinced that the money will help solve internal problems and that the United States really wants to provide assistance on the most basic level. US aid to the countries hit by the tsunami is a perfect example. There are, by all objective standards, significant problems when another country receives "aid" food, dollars, technical assistance, from the United States. The United States offers aid because it is in its own best interests. It may be seen as altruism but the best interests of the United States are not necessarily the best interests of the recipient country. There is always an American interest at stake. That is something we should never forget. There are times when the recipient country actually makes the calculus between their interests and the package they anticipate receiving from the US. That very calculus is a cost benefit analysis of the situation. But unfortunately it is often a short-term analysis for the country while the United States self-interest-analysis is projecting long term. It's happening today. The United States wants a Palestinian State. The United States also wants Israel out of Gaza. In return for implementing the wants of the United States, Israel will certainly receive some form of United States aid. But questions remain. What will Israel get out of these huge concessions? Will they live with more security or will their lives be in more danger? Will there be more terror? Will the Palestinian State serve as a safe refuge for terrorists? How will these moves impact on the daily lives of the citizens of Israel? What will Israel receive for these actions? That, too, is still as yet undetermined. Certainly money. Much good will. Some in high places have even mentioned the freeing of the famous US spy for Israel, Jonathan Pollard, as a part of the aid bundle if the redeployment goes through. Is it worth the price for Israel? Few are even talking about it. The US thinks it is worth every cent. But that is exactly the point. What the United States thinks may not be what is best for the region. Quid pro quo. You figure it out. And remember, the biggest uncle, Uncle Sam, is urging and watching.
China - US - Israel Arms Trade
By Micah Halpern
Sunday April 17, 2005 I've Been Thinking: The United States has just ousted Israel from working on advanced technology for the new F-35 fighter jet. Why? Because the United States fears that China might get their hands on some of the sensitive material surrounding the F-35 and that, in turn, would alter the qualitative advantage that the US has over China. China is the only true enemy of the United States. China is the only serious threat to the US. China is the only country that still seriously embraces vestiges of the cold war. Here's an interesting factoid: Most US aid packages, especially military and research oriented aid packages, contain a Chinese caveat. What's the Israel connection? This is truly a case of seller beware. Lebanon's Chance
By Micah Halpern
Saturday April 16, 2005 I've Been Thinking: Things are moving along in Lebanon. The Lebanese Parliament just appointed a new prime minister. I think the new prime minister just might have what it takes to succeed. Mikati knows that it is impossible to cut off all contact with Syria. The future Lebanese PM should also know that he must be a unifying force between those wanting to sever all contact with Syria and those who want continued interaction. Najib Mikati has a difficult challenge ahead. Postpone the Elections
By Micah Halpern
April 15, 2005 I've Been Thinking: Fatah wants to delay the next round of Palestinian Authority elections. As of now elections are scheduled for July. Why the delay? Because Fatah, the official ruling PA party, reasons that they would suffer a serious defeat. They fear, correctly, that Hamas and other Islamic parties would take over. Here is the dilemma: The Fatah/PA needs time to beat the negative reputation - it is the only way to win against the Islamists. If the PA and Fatah do not clean up their act their biggest fear will be realized. Lebanon Needs Stability
By Micah Halpern
Thursday April 14, 2005 I've Been Thinking: This week Lebanon's pro-Syrian Prime Minister Omar Karameh resigned. This is bad news. Lebanon needs stability. Lebanon needs a government. Lebanon needs to free itself from Syria. Now, especially, there is little chance of that happening. As of today there is a split in Lebanon. The vocal but growing minority in Lebanon want independence. They have so far succeeded in preventing a pro-Syrian government from forming. It is unlikely that they will be capable of forming their own government. If Lebanon does not achieve stability quickly, these are two likely scenarios: Lebanon is no stranger to internal conflict. Turkey - Syria Nexus
By Micah Halpern
Wednesday April 13, 2005 I've Been Thinking: Today's visit of Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer to Syria is raising eyebrows in certain diplomatic circles. Turkey understands what is going on. Turkey is doing what it must do. Turkey, under its current Prime Minister Tayyip Erodgan, is Islamist oriented. In order to keep the government together, some very important and powerful Muslim forces must be wrestled with. This is the very government that refused to allow US airplanes to take off or fly over Turkish air space during the Iraqi War. But this is what is most important: So what is the positive side of a good relationship between Turkey and Syria? A word to the wise: Do not underestimate the power of intermediaries as a method of exerting diplomatic pressure. TAMING THE LION
By Micah Halpern
Monday April 12, 2005 Column: Success or failure. Truth or dare. The future of the Palestinian Authority lies in the hands of one man, President Mahmoud Abbas. The decisions that Abbas makes will shape the future, long term and short term, of the Palestinian people. The choices are his to make. The commitments are his to undertake. Some decisions, like cracking down on terror, like taking control, are actually, physically difficult. But Abbas must tame the Palestinian Wild West or it will consume him. And if or when the first democratically elected president of the Palestinian Authority falls, anarchy will set in. And if anarchy enters, any chance of a decent life for the people of Palestine disappears. And when Abbas falls, any chance for rapprochement between the Palestinian Authority and Israel fails. If Abbas is consumed, Palestinian society will never flourish, it will become, instead, a Nicaragua or a Belfast. How does one tame the lion? Disarming the gangs of hooligans that roam through the cities and towns, imprisoning, cutting off funds, making it unlawful to incite, all those are obvious ways to recapture control. Physically difficult, but possible. Convincing the masses of the importance of the mission, that's much, much, more difficult. And the reason it is more difficult is because re-education requires much more than a physical commitment, it requires an emotional commitment. And here, Abbas has failed miserably. Abbas has barely even attempted to re-educate the Palestinian people. Education, or re-education, is central to the success of President Abbas. It is an essential tool for the implementation of a democratic, economically sound and productive future for his people. And yet, Abbas has not even begun to put in place the easiest of educational reforms. There are concrete actions that take no time to put in place and require no energy to implement. There are actions that take almost no money but which would have serious short and long term impact for the future of the Palestinian people. All Abbas needs to do, as a first, simple, crucially important step is take one book off the school reading list. If Abbas is really committed to peace with the Israelis, if he is being truthful when he speaks of peace and progress in international diplomatic circles, he will push forward on the process of re-education now. He is already late, any later will be too late. But does he dare? Israeli Minister Natan Sharansky has just sent an emergency letter to Israel's President Ariel Sharon and to United States President George Bush. This is his issue: One must ask: In order to perpetuate the myth. We all know the answer. The Protocols Of The Elders Of Zion has not been removed from the Palestinian school curriculum, the book has not been removed from school library shelves, only, ONLY, in order to perpetuate the myth! The Palestinians continue to teach The Protocols because they are not yet committed to the reforms. And Mahmoud Abbas, as president, is the man responsible for re-educating or not re-educating his people, for implementing reforms or for letting them linger, ignored if not forgotten. There's more. There are the maps. In no official Palestinian Authority map is Israel identified. Not just school maps - any and all maps. It is hard to imagine a civilized, long-term, interaction between peoples, between societies, between countries when the official maps of one of the partners still do not recognize the existence of the other. Here's even more. Of the 160 schoolbooks the Palestinian Authority uses to teach from, not a single text refers to Israel as an independent state. Shocked? Not any more, I would think. Yes, Palestinian President Abbas must break the backs of the terrorist thugs who might physically challenge his control over his society. But he must also transform an educational system, he must educate. Future Palestinian leaders should be groomed in schools, not in marauding packs. One need not teach love, but neither should one perpetuate hatred. Bush-Sharon Meet
By Micah Halpern
Monday April 11, 2005 I've Been Thinking: About the Bush / Sharon Meeting. Why GW needed the meet: Why Arik needed the meet: Also, and very important: Sharon needs to explain to Bush that PA president Abbas is teetering and about to fall. Abbas must defeat the terrorists or they will destroy him. If Abbas falls the result is total anarchy. Israel wants to live side by side and will take down illegal settlements and will redeploy and is committed to peace and an end to bloodshed. Bush needs to hear all this and react. Sharon needs to say all this. Straight from the horses mouths. Incitement in Jerusalem
By Micah Halpern
Sunday April 10, 2005 I've Been Thinking: There has been much talk about Israeli incitement. Specifically, incitement as it relates to Jewish visits on Jerusalem's Temple Mount. The popular presumption is that if or when Jews ascend the Temple Mount the result will be an explosion in the Muslim world. I highly doubt the veracity of these presumptions and claims. The threats themselves are very interesting. Jordan's King Hussein suggested that by ascending the Temple Mount Jews will destabilize the entire region. At this junction it is probably not wise to have an organized Jewish ascent. Important Handshakes
By Micah Halpern
Saturday April 9, 2005 I've Been Thinking: Handshakes are a powerful form of communication. The handshakes were captures on camera at the funeral of Pope John Paul II. The origin of the handshake is important here. In ancient Greece people would extend their right hand - their dagger hand - to demonstrate that one meant no harm to the other. The metaphor still holds. The official funerals of world leaders are ideal venues for informally breaking down barriers. At international events, leaders can share and discuss potentially heated or explosive issues that they would not discuss in more formal settings. But remember, this is the Middle East where just as the unofficial sometimes quietly becomes official, the official is sometimes silenced so as not to draw public attention. Egypt's Terror
By Micah Halpern
Friday April 8, 2005 I've Been Thinking: Terror struck at the heart of Egypt yesterday. A motorcyclist threw a bomb in Egypt's historic bazaar. It landed near Cairo's famous and popular tourist attraction, the Khan al Khalili Souk. Four people were murdered and at least 20 wounded. Many of the victims were tourists. Now let's see how Egypt handles the terror attack. Tourism is Egypt's most important industry. In the 1990's there was a rise in this type of terror in Egypt. In September of 1997, two men opened fire at a group of tourists in Cairo killing 10. Then again in November terrorists murdered 62 people in Luxor, the burial site of the Pharoah's. 58 of those killed were tourists. Believe me. Egypt will respond with a strong hand. Quiet is Relative
By Micah Halpern
Thursday April 7, 2005 I've Been Thinking: Perspective often depends on knowing and understanding the relative value of numbers and things. For instance: the last 3 months in Israel have been termed "relatively quiet." According to the Israeli security services and army, relative quiet means: The total for 3 months was 647 attacks and 125 wounded. What a warped world we live in when a reduction in the number of terror attacks is cause for gratitude. What a warped world we live in when it can be said that there were "only" 647 terror attacks and that "only" 125 people were wounded. Given the issues of the Middle East - despite the absolute numbers and this freaky reality - this is a good sign. Sacking Abu Ala
By Micah Halpern
Wednesday April 6, 2005 I've Been Thinking: It's a tough challenge figuring out what's really happening in the Palestinian Authority nowadays. Yesterday, a story was leaked in the Emirates Daily saying that Abu Mazen was thinking about firing his prime minister and longtime friend, Abu Ala. Abu Ala seems to be more Arafatesque in his perception, trying to stall and hold firm on the status quo. Might Abu Mazen force Abu Ala out? Nowadays, Palestinian leadership is not simply about Israel. The Jews' Pope
By Micah Halpern
April 5, 2005 Column: Some called him the "Jews' Pope" a title bestowed upon a much respected and admired religious leader. John Paul II. He was the Polish Pope who visited Auschwitz in 1979, just after taking office. He was the Pope who, in 1986, visited the synagogue of Rome. He was the Pope who came to Jerusalem and visited the Western Wall in 2000. The Pope actually liked Jews. As a young man Jews were his friends and colleagues. In his final years he had more to do with Jews than any other Pope before him. Much has been written about the Jews Pope's attitude toward Jewish-Christian relations. He has been credited as a hero and great humanitarian responsible for enforcing a change in the attitude of the Church toward Antisemitism. On most issues the Pope was a theological conservative. When it came to approaching Jewish issues, he was a theologically visionary. For the Pope, Antisemitism was wrong, plain and simple, wrong. Antisemitism symbolized the Dark Ages. Given his understanding of history and the Bible, the hatred of the Jew on the theological level was totally unjustified. Moving away from Antisemitism was moving the Church, finally, out of the Dark Ages. Theologically eliminating the hatred of the Jews was the perfect symbol of the modernization of the Church. It was a move toward modernity that neither touched nor eroded mainstream theological issues like marriage, homosexuality, and abortion, issues that might shake the foundations of Church teachings. There is a parallel between the Jews and Europe and the Jews and the Church. The Jews were the only true minority in Europe. No European government could continue to restrict Jewish rights and confine Jews in ghettoes and call itself modern. So, too, went the thinking and rationale of the Pope. Recasting attitudes towards Jews enabled the Church to cast off past hatred and propel itself into the modern world all in one big step. Most importantly for the Pope as well as the Church, it was done in the name of forgiveness. John Paul II asked forgiveness for the past actions of the Church throughout history. On his visit to Jerusalem's Western Wall the Pope, as tradition dictates, placed a note between the centuries old stones of the Wall. The text of the note was later made public. This is what he wrote, please note that it was addressed to "God." God of our fathers, you chose Abraham and his descendants to bring your name to the nations: We are deeply saddened by the behavior of those who in the course of history have caused these children of yours to suffer, and asking your forgiveness, we wish to commit ourselves to genuine brotherhood with the people of the Covenant. Those few words explain it all. In a few sentences the Pope transformed the Church's perspective of the Jew. Jews were moved from the world of persecution where it was accepted and even requisite to oppress them for their past and for what they had done and embraced in brotherhood. For the first time, Jews were recognized for their original contribution in setting the foundation of Christianity. How amazingly simple and correspondingly profound. The Pope was not only eliminating officially sanctioned Antisemitism because it is wrong. The Pope was bolstering, protecting and insuring the future of his Church. He was helping the Church confront future challenges. John Paul II. The Jew's Pope. Everyone's visionary. May his memory be blessed. Iran and Her Nukes
By Micah Halpern
Monday April 4, 2005 I've Been Thinking: Iran has recently permitted 30 journalists to visit the place that was their once top-secret nuclear site, the Natanz. The Natanz is situated about 150 miles south of Teheran. From the accounts of local and foreign journalists who visited the plant, it is surrounded by 10 anti-air batteries and is heavily enfenced. Clearly, Natanz is set up as a top secret and well-protected facility. The US and the EU have, early on, identified this facility. From the very onset of the conflict with Iran and Iran's continued march towards nuclear proliferation the Natanz plant has been a big agenda item. The journalist were actually treated to the real plant - not some facade. Why? Because the Iranians see it as a safe place to showcase. The work done at the Natanz plant is enriching uranium. It requires centrifuges that quickly spin uranium transforming it into a gas. What happens after that, however, is that the gas can then be used in a nuclear bomb. The Iranians are now saying, you saw our facility, now leave us alone. The problem is that Iran has many, many more facilities Mixed Messages
By Micah Halpern
Sunday April 3, 2005 I've Been Thinking: There are mixed messages coming out of the Palestinian Authority. That's now new. The problem now, however, is that it is becoming more and more difficult to decipher those voices that are to be believed from those that are pure propaganda or gobblygook. Al Quds, a London based Arabic newspaper, reported that Palestinian President Abbas successfully negotiated with Hamas to join the PLO and renounce their battle to liberate all of Palestine. At the same time, Palestinian Prime Minister Abu Ala has been publicly saying on Palestinian radio that this current cease fire agreement with Israel does not negate the ultimate objective of a greater Palestinian State in all of Palestine. So how do we make sense of this? The news about Hamas, even if only temporarily, is very good. But the double message form Abu Ala is typical, almost Arafatesque in style. We have to continue to watch - and listen - carefully. Sham in Egypt
By Micah Halpern
Saturday April 2, 2005 I've Been Thinking: Remember the horrific terror attacks that shattered a vacation holiday on the Israeli border in the Sinai tourist resort of Taba this past October? 34 people were murdered, 12 of them Israelis. The news is that Egypt has finally charged 3 people with the heinous acts. Actually, only two of the three are in Egyptian custody. The third will be tried, but in absentia. 34 innocent people were murdered in that terror attack. All information, all intel says that the attack was planned with the assistance of Palestinians. Clearly, the attack required not only one, two, or three players, but multiple levels of planners. And yet, only two are in custody. What a sham! Granted, two terrorists were killed in the explosion itself. And two others, Palestinians, were killed in February in a police shootout. But many more are still at largee. What also really scares/perplexes/astounds/galls me is that the suspects have only been charged with murder and attempted murder and possessing automatic weapons. What happened to acts of terror? Is there no law against terror? Is there no law against mass murder? How can we take this trial seriously? This situation must be changed, in Egypt and internationally. And it must be changed now. PA Anarchy
By Micah Halpern
Friday April 1, 2005 I've Been Thinking: Anarchy now reigns in the Palestinian Authority. Tirawi is the head of PA West Bank Intelligence. He quit because of anarchy and an inability to control the situation. He claims his underlings are not following through, he says that he receives no support from Abbas. As part of the deal with Israel for regaining Palestinian control in certain cities - like Jericho and Tul Karum - the PA accepted the condition that they disarm and register those people that Israel called terrorists and Israel would refrain from "targeting" those individuals. This has yet to happen. Is it possible that Abbas does not want to move ahead? Possible that he prefers this status of anarchy to an ordered and safe democratic society? When you become prime minister it comes with a price. The going's on in the Palestinian Authority is beginning to remind of a child's tale -- the Emperor's New Clothes. Powered by Movable Type Site design by Sekimori
|