Condi's exhortation to the Palestinians to dismantle the terrorist organizations would have more credibility had she also said that Sharon must dismantle the settlers organizations, especially those now on the West Bank and Gaza.
Clearly the Palestinians are not going to disarm their militias before Sharon agrees to leave the West Bank settlements. To expect anything else is just not based on reality.
THERE ARE TWO PARTS TO THE PALESTINE/ISRAEL CONFLICT:
THE SETTLERS MOVEMENT THAT WAS SET UP BY SHARON....
AND THE TERRORIST GROUPS LIKE HAMAS WHICH WERE SET UP, AT LEAST IN PART, TO FIGHT THE SETTLEMENT MOVEMENT.
That said, both parties have MANY old hatreds and fears that are in this mix.....including the "right of return" .....and the so-called right of Israel "to exist."
But all told, the West Bank settlements and the lack of a Palestinian state are the main points of controversy still on the table...... No matter how much smoke either side blows onto the other issues.
Condi simply must make an attempt to provide Sharon with some kind of "cover" for what he clearly must do..... Or put more grimly, with friends like Condi? Sharon won't need any more enemies! Or still further, Condi is a bigger threat to Sharon than Abbas! Think about it.....the US is simply not letting Sharon do what has to be done......namely dismantle the settlements on the West Bank.
