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BARAK AND SHARON PREPARE ANOTHER EARTHQUAKE
MID-EAST REALITIES - www.MiddleEast.Org
- Washington - 10/08:
The U.S. "abstention"
at the U.N. This was done primarily to prevent attacks on U.S.
Embassies and other American targets which a U.S. veto might well have
sparked under current circumstances. After watering things down as
usual, after blustering threats to veto even that, and after personal intervention
by Clinton to get the resolution delayed, when other countries called the
U.S. bluff and insisted on a vote, they prevailed this time. Especially
with VP Gore and Wife Hillary needing to get elected next month, Clinton
took this decision. But don't get very excited. There are dozens
of U.N. resolutions applying to Israel rusting in a heap of U.N. impotence.
And the U.S. will continue behind-the-scenes preventing the U.N. from playing
any serious and effective role with regard to Israel, including blocking
any serious international investigation into what has been happening as
the Palestinians have understandably demanded.
The Israelis are
clearly preparing to change the overall political landscape again, as they
have done many times before including 1967, 1974, 1982, 1991, and 1993.
Having failed to push Syria into a Pax American deal, having failed to
bring about a pro-Israeli government in Lebanon, and having failed to pummel
Yasser Arafat into signing an "end the conflict" agreement, the Israelis
are moving on to other options. This time it appears they will prevent
a Palestinian State, one which would be recognized by much of the world
even though it would be nearly totally under Israeli control, by ending
the "Palestinian Authority" which seems to have outlived its usefulness.
On Sunday morning the Israeli Army began to to blow up apartment buildings
in Gaza that have been used to fire on the Israeli army guarding Jewish
settlements, and attack helicopters are reported to be firing on Palestinians
in Hebron. Threats have already been made to attack PA buildings
and headquarters. For the record, the text of PM Barak's speech to
Israelis last evening:
STATEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER EHUD
BARAK
Jerusalem, October
7, 2000
Citizens of Israel, good evening,
We are facing the beginning of
a new situation in the State of
Israel. We are witnessing an
acute and violent escalation in our
relations with the Palestinians.
Responsibility for this rests
with Chairman Arafat and the
Palestinian Authority. If he so
wished, he could with a simple
command halt the violence.
I call upon the Palestinians
to immediately cease the violence
and to agree to the call issued
last week by President Clinton to
meet in the coming days to continue
discussion of the
implementation of the agreement.
Israel will not conduct negotiations
parallel to violence of any
kind. With the same determination
that we struggled to seek
peace, we will know how to fight
against violence.
Until now I have issued instructions
to exercise restraint - not
to act, but to react. If we
will not see a change in the patterns
of violence in the next two
days, we shall see this as the
breaking off of the peace negotiations
by Arafat - a cessation
for which he bears responsibility
and which he initiated. We
shall direct the IDF and the
security forces to use all means at
their disposal to halt the violence.
A new situation is indeed taking
shape. This is one of the most
important struggles in the history
of the State of Israel - a
struggle for our very right
to live here in this difficult and
tormented region as free people.
Our stance in this situation
will in large measure determine our
future.
The struggle will not be an easy
one. It may well be protracted.
There will be ups and downs,
and, like today, there will be
difficult moments - perhaps
even more difficult. But if we will
stand united, we will prevail.
Since Madrid and Oslo, throughout
a decade, three or four
consecutive governments in Israel
have strived to achieve a peace
agreement with our Palestinian
neighbors, on the premise that we
have a partner for peace.
Today, the picture that is emerging,
is that there is apparently
no partner for peace.
This truth is a painful one,
but it is the truth, and we must
confront it with open eyes and
draw the necessary conclusions.
We will not yield to violence.
We are a small people, but strong
and courageous. Anyone who challenges
us with force, will be met
with force, and immediately.
We will be united. We have no
cause to blame ourselves. Our hands
are clean. We have turned every
stone and were prepared to
discuss almost every possible
idea in order to explore whether
the other side is prepared to
pursue the road of peace.
An agreement can be reached,
but the other side, for whom the
choice between agreement and
violence is not an easy one either -
has apparently chosen violence,
and will bear the responsibility
for the consequences of this
choice.
Our peace efforts have not weakened
us, but rather strengthened
our internal unity. The time
now is ripe in the framework of the
overall political process, with
the approaching end of the
Clinton administration and the
termination of the interim
agreements signed between us
and the Palestinians.
We must not lose hope. Peace
will come. It will come if we will
know how to insist on our vital
rights and the vital interests of
the people of Israel, on the
security of Israel, on the unity of
Israel, and on the holy values
of Israel.
We will insist on what is most
vital - and we will do so
together.
I understand those within the
peace camp today, who find
themselves forced, together
with us all, to watch the partner in
whom we had hoped to see a greater
readiness for peace than he
apparently possesses.
I understand the pain of our
fellow citizens of Israel on the
right side of the political
map, who are forced to come to grips
with the painful recognition
that achieving peace involves
accepting that we will have
less than we dreamed of.
But now is the time to prepare
for confrontation, to join hands
and to move together - together
towards the challenges before us.
This afternoon, three IDF soldiers
were kidnapped on Mount Dov
during a routine security patrol
along the border, near the gate
leading to the Lebanese village
of Shaba.
The three soldiers are now in the hands of the Hizbullah.
The Israeli government views
Hizbullah, the government of Syria
and the government of Lebanon
as responsible for the well-being
of the soldiers, for holding
them safely in satisfactory
conditions, and for sending
them quickly home.
The kidnapping of soldiers is
very painful, as we all know from
experience. The incident is
difficult for us and for the IDF. I
ask that you understand that,
for obvious reasons, I cannot go
into detail about our actions
or our intentions in this regard in
the days to come.
I would like to say to all citizens
of Israel: We are all going
through difficult times. But
I am filled with faith that, in the
end, we will emerge from this
confrontation and struggle stronger
and more united, without relinquishing
our values as a Jewish and
democratic state, or our vital
interests, while continuing to
strive for security and peace
in Israel.
To the Arab citizens of Israel,
I wish to say: We have together
built a democratic society which
recognizes the coexistence of
different communities and faiths.
We have together built a life
based, first and foremost, on
the recognition that we are living
together in a democratic state
under the rule of law.
I appeal to you once again to
continue the behavior pursued by
the vast majority of the Israeli
Arabs, who continue to act
responsibly and maturely, and
are not provoked into action by
extremists and inciters.
I appeal to all of us to renew
our efforts, to support the rule
of law. No state can allow itself
a repetition of the pictures of
blocked roads, closed settlements,
of vandalism, or of damage to
property.
All of us, together, are charged
with the ultimate duty to
achieve peace and equality,
and to fully integrate the Arab
citizens in Israeli society
- but to do so within the framework
of an open, progressive and
law-abiding society.
On the eve of Yom Kippur, I would
like to wish all of us, every
family in Israel, a good year.
May you all be inscribed in the
book of life.
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