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I trust Arafat only slightly more than Son of Bush. If he means it, this is great. More likely, though, he is trying to do the minimum necessary to preserve the appearance of a peace process. When the Palestinians consolidate their security forces into an effective fighting unit under a single head or at least with a clear line of responsibility, and use them to go after muslim terrorists (as the Israelis ought to be going after illegal settlers), then I'll believe he wants peace.
HOWEVER, Arafat is to Islamist extreminists as Sharon is to settlers as the US is to Israel: may not like what they do, but it's at least poilitically inexpedient, at worst an invitiation to assassination (remember Rabin?) for the one to oppose the other.
Mael, FEL:
Yes Israel rolled tanks into the occupied territories on 9/11, but let's not call each other names over it. It is arguable whether that was what broke the peace or if it was some earlier action, and, frankly, given that Israel's main trading partner in the blowing shit up business is the Palestinians, I think sitting on them for a couple of days after a major terrorist incident while unjust was nonetheless probably wise and certainly inevitable.
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Light a man a fire, and he will be warm while it burns.
Set a man on fire, and he will be warm for the rest of his life.
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