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| Middle East |
| Palestinian Prime Minister Warns Israel |
| 2003-12-11 |
| JERUSALEM (AP) - The Palestinian prime minister warned Israel against taking unilateral steps, such as seizing parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, saying that in such cases ``the fire will burn, the terror will grow.’’ The prime minister, Ahmed Qureia, spoke in an interview with the Israeli daily newspaper Maariv. Excerpts were published Thursday, and the full text was to be released Friday. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and top members of his government have repeatedly said in recent days that they planned to take unilateral steps if peace efforts fail. Sharon and his deputy, Ehud Olmert, have said this would include dismantling some Israeli settlements, but they also have made clear that Israel would never withdraw from all the West Bank and Gaza Strip to the frontier that existed before the 1967 Mideast war. Those who win wars sorta have that right, don’t they? Even before Sharon began floating the idea of unilateral steps, Israel began building a separation barrier that at points runs near the 1967 lines, but in other areas is to dip deep into the West Bank. The barrier is to keep out Palestinian Fence looks better all the time. All the Qureia told Maariv that the current route of the barrier will only cause more resentment. ``This will not help, this will not succeed, this will cause a disaster. You cannot build a fence on our land, to cage us like chickens and hope all will be well. If you want a fence, go ahead. Build it on the (1967) Green Line. In this instance we are prepared to contribute to the building costs,’’ he said. That’s perhaps the first sensible idea I’ve heard from a Paleo in years. The Palestinian prime minister said dismantling settlements is a positive step. ``But if he (Sharon) wants to build a fence and use it to annex Palestinian land, this is unacceptable. The conflict will continue, the fire will burn, the terror will grow, no one will benefit from this,’’ he said. ``We will not accept this, Translation: he’s afraid the world might well write them off. Qureia called for an immediate resumption of peace talks. "Mahmoud! Abdul! Git them guns and ammo through the tunnel, and make it snappy! We ain’t got much longer!" |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #5 The Palestinian prime minister warned Israel against taking unilateral steps, such as seizing parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, saying that in such cases ``the fire will burn, the terror will grow.’’ Just more evidence of the Palestinian addiction to terror tactics. The Palestinian prime minister said dismantling settlements is a positive step. Palestinian demands aside, just what "positive steps" have the Palestinians themselves taken? Are there any? |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2003-12-11 4:33:11 PM |
| #4 RC, the Paleos haven't used rockets and mortars because it's too difficult concealing them. You can hide them in a room and in a tunnel, but out in a settlement somebody is going to notice. Especially with all the heightened security. It's why Hamas uses suicide bombers, since a bomb strapped to someones chest is much easier to conceal. |
| Posted by: Charles 2003-12-11 12:42:57 PM |
| #3 IMHO, the Palestinians will just switch to using rockets and mortars, and will remain massively subsidized by Europe and other Arab nations. |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2003-12-11 9:53:01 AM |
| #2 All the Hamas effort will be expended on bridging the fence rather than buses and restaurants in Tel Aviv. Sounds like a plan. |
| Posted by: john 2003-12-11 9:40:56 AM |
| #1 Translation: he’s afraid the world might well write them off That's been my theory all along - once the walls a fait accompli there is no more fun in pushing "Paleo justice" and the rest of the world will tire of sending money to the thugs in charge. The only thing Arafat and friends have to offer the world is instability and dead Jooooos. Once the wall separates the two, booming and killing becomes too difficult to become a dependable terror weapon, and Paleostine will exist as a cesspool of seething and whining nonproductivity. Syria/Lebanon/Iran are just waiting for the hammer to strike themselves once Iraq is pacified. I predict in 5 yrs everyone will look back and wonder why they let Arafat and Co. cause so much destruction and instability - the fence will be the answer to so many problems...Qureia's distress proves that they know it |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-12-11 8:46:15 AM |