Sources: PM drops option of moving Gaza settlers to W. Bank (Haaretz - Israel News, 06/03/2004 18:44): Political sources said Friday that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, in a concession to the United States, had dropped the option of moving settlers from Gaza Strip settlements to the West Bank, an idea that had enraged Palestinians. Also Friday, security sources said that, bowing to White House pressure Israel intends to wait until after the U.S. presidential election in November before uprooting the Jewish settlements in Gaza.
... How very interesting. The administration is trying to tune international politics for electoral purposes.
The thing is -- and it doesn't particularly reflect creditably on anyone -- we don't actually care that much if Israel erupts in violence near the elections. There is, after all, only so much that we could possibly do, especially when the governing bodies of both sides seem supremely disinterested in actually negotiating a meaningful peace (and one of the governing bodies is entirely incapable of enforcing it, interest aside). It's not likely to hurt Bush much if things go to hell in a handbasket (... well, OK, if they go to hell in a larger than normal handbasket somewhat faster than usual). About the only thing it could do would be to remind people that Our Glorious Shrub's war on terrorism isn't going terribly well in that area, and given that the Israeli/Palestinian conflict somewhat predates our actually paying much attention to terrorism, despite everyone's best efforts, the mental connection between them in this country is somewhat tenuous, at best.
But still. The concept that the administration would request a client state to defer doing something that they regard as necessary for their security is somewhat disquieting -- although how putting settlers in the West Bank would do anything other than paint a big target on their backs saying, "Shoot them! Shoot them now!" is beyond me.
Posted by iain at March 08, 2004 11:50 PM
