MER - Washington - 25 January 1998:

      So far, the Israelis have totally outmaneuvered the Palestinians -- and using the Palestinians the Arabs, the Muslims, and the U.N.

      The agreements signed by Yasser Arafat in Oslo, Cairo, Washington, and Hebron, were always designed by the Americans and the Israelis to bring about this result -- no matter what soothing words are some times said, both in private and in public.

      Furthermore, showing their true colors, on the very day of Netanyahu's arrival in the U.S. and meeting with Falwell, the U.S. delivered to Israel the first of the latest generation of super fighter planes, these specially outfitted to be able to reach throughout the Arab world and to Iran.  Plus of course the new U.S./Israeli/Turkiish/Jordanian de facto military alliance proceeds -- the Arab League impotent and demoralized to do anything serious to forestall even further Israeli/American domination of the region.

      By ending the Intifada, setting up an extremely complicated and confusing double occupation, and causing major divisions within the ranks of Palestinians and their supporters, the U.S./Israeli plans since the Madrid conference in 1991 have so far worked well.

      When the next rounds of inevitable "terrorism" result, Washington and Jerusalem will of course twist
 the screws still further as the process of putting the Palestinians on reservations and turning them into low-cost factory workers proceeds.