Egypt's intelligence chief has met separately with Israeli and Palestinians leaders in an effort revive Mideast peace talks. Omar Suliman held a series of meetings in Jerusalem Sunday with top Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Foreign Minister Shimon Peres. Mr. Peres said he told the Egyptian official that the Palestinian Authority had to combat terrorism and clamp down on militant groups, such as Hamas, which has carried out a wave of suicide bombings. Mr. Suliman said Egypt wants to help calm the 22-month-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but he said Israel must first take measures to give Palestinians some hope. The Egyptian official later went to Ramallah to meet with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Those talks were expected to focus on reforms within the Palestinian Authority.
'Tisn't so much Israel as the U.S. who's holding out hope for the Paleostinians. Reforming their government, introducing some sort of coherent constitutional system, and dumping the thugs is their only "hope" of becoming a self-sufficient, prosperous people. But my guess is that when most of them think of "hope" they think in terms of ammunition supplies and high explosives... |