Kesher Talk

Just say no to international monitoring: "Such a scenario would result in the realization of one of the Palestinians' longest-held goals — the "internationalization"of the conflict via the installation of foreign troops to run interference for them. If the experience in Lebanon — where multilateral forces were supposed to separate the Hezbollah guerrillas from the Israeli security zone and forces there — is any guide, the insertion of American troops will not prevent terrorist attacks from being launched against Israel. It will, however, create real impediments to Israel's ability to preempt and retaliate against the attackers, lest U.S. personnel get hurt in the crossfire." (Frank J. Gaffney Jr. on NRO)

Revisionist revisits his own views: The New Yorker looks at revisionist Israeli historian Benny Morris, who has had something of a change of heart recently. "Shlomo Avineri, a prominent academic on the Israeli left, has said, "Whoever expected Yasir Arafat to turn into Nelson Mandela was proved wrong, but admitting it is hard. Incredibly hard." "

Restraint: "Just as restraint is not an appropriate policy in response to terrorist attacks against U.S. citizens, it is no more effective or moral when imposed on Israel." (Mark Levin on NRO)

How Israel can pursue peace and war: "What Israel must do is to adopt its own version of Arafat's phased war approach; it must pursue peace, or appear to pursue peace, as a phase in the longer war. It must meet Palestinian war with relentless war in return. But, simultaneously, it must become the aggressor in a new peace process--whether or not that process will ultimately lead to a peace Israel can accept. The so-called Saudi plan currently on the table is a cynical and moth-eaten fraud put forth by a cynical and moth-eaten regime. In its ultimate proposals--the abandonment of Jerusalem, the return of all Palestinian refugees--it is purposely unworkable. Israel should nevertheless grasp it (or something equally unrealistic) as the basis for a new round of negotiations.

This won't produce peace. But Israel can learn from Arafat's strategy; the great thing now is to take the long view--and meanwhile move the war to the next phase." (Michael Kelly in the Washington Post)

posted by Howard @ 3/13/2002 10:41:42 AM