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Sharon willing to make 'painful concessions'
Israel must make "painful concessions" to help achieve Mideast peace by giving up some Jewish settlements in Palestinian territory, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said in Sunday's editions of the newspaper Ha'aretz. Asked specifically about Netzarim, an isolated settlement in central Gaza that has been a flash point between Israelis and Palestinians, Sharon said, "I don't want to get into a discussion of any specific place now. This is a delicate subject. But if it turns out that we have someone to talk to, that they understand that peace is neither terrorism nor subversion against Israel, then I would definitely say that we will have to take steps that are painful for every Jew and painful for me personally." Before the Paleos got around to installing Abbas, that statement would have been unthinkable. Before Bush ditched Yasser, Abbas getting in would have been unthinkable... The "someone" Sharon referred to might be the new Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, who accepted leadership of the Palestinian Authority's day-to-day operations last month. In a further reference to the settlements, which have been one of many sticking points in reaching an accord between Israelis and Palestinians, Sharon said, "Look, we are talking about the cradle of the Jewish people. Our whole history is bound up with these places. "Bethlehem, Shiloh, Beit El. And I know that we will have to part with some of these places," he said. "As a Jew, this agonizes me. But I have decided to make every effort to reach a settlement. I feel that the rational necessity to reach a settlement is overcoming my feelings." If he makes an honest effort, and nothing comes of it through bad faith on the Paleo side, then nothing's ever going to come of it. So the Paleos have one, single chance, right now. And we all know Hamas is going to turn itself inside out trying to wreck it. Posted by: Fred Pruitt 2003-04-13 |
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