"I am running...like a madman" Shimon Peres Mid-East Realities - www.MiddleEast.Org - Washington - 5/21: The big fix is on of course with the "Mitchell Commission Report". Other madmen desperately scampering from one TV studio to the next are "Ambassador" Dennis Ross, now back at the Israeli/Jewish lobby from whence he came, and of course Senator Mitchell, himself retired from the most pro-Israeli political body on the planet appointed by the most pro-Israeli American Administration in history in the country that gives Israel the arms and means to do what it does.

Shimon Peres has long been at best a political chameleon, at worst...well...let's say that if there were a political whore of the year award Shimon Peres would be an odds on favorite. But then in a virtual sea of despicable characters that currently comprises the makeup of the cast desperately pushing the "Mitchell Commission Report" forward Peres fits right in. It is the same old bunch really, all desperately attempting to recreate the very "framework" the comprises the terrible mistakes of the past decade that brought on today's madness -- all trying to vindicate themselves and retain power in some cases, a huge money flow in others. Now for those who don't know the sordid history of Shimon Peres, for those unaware of what he has actually done rather than what he so smoothly intones, Peres certainly appears at times oh so reasonable.

As for the political intrigue of the moment that Peres is so madly attempting to sell, there's nothing at all new in the "Mitchell Commission Report". It's content and recommendations could have easily been written last October by Bill, Ehud, Yasser and friends at Sharm el-Sheik where it was first conceived. There's also a long and sordid history of these kinds of pseudo set-up Commissions going way back to the "King-Crane Commission" in 1919 and the "Anglo-American Convention" in 1924, just to name a few of the early ones. They have always been used by the Western powers to deceive, to delay, to manipulate; by the Zionist movement to get what it wants through subterfuge, obfuscation, and the passage of time; and by the local Arab powers to give a false public pretense that something positive is happening for which they must be constantly consulted, involved, and rewarded.

The "Mitchell Commission Report" is not even a bad joke at this point, dealing not at all with the crucial issues of Palestinian Statehood and the return and compensation of the nearly 4 million Palestinian refugees. Indeed, the proper response from the Palestinians, if their own leadership were not so miserably co-opted and subservient, would be to stand up and declare Palestinian Statehood now...right now...no more nonsense. At least all the bloodshed and suffering should finally bring this historic conflict to its root issues, Israelis and Americans be damned.

And, oh yes, also remember the MER FlashBack about Peres and American University from a few years ago...it's at the end.

"There were similar situations in the past, but theneverybody was mobilized... Today, too, everyonemust mobilize. Then, it was to survive, and now it isto prevent the danger of war and attain peace."

Peres said he feels "a heavy responsibility" toprevent "a retreat into the past of isolation andviolence." He said it is very important to prevent asituation in which Western countries make excusesfor Palestinian terrorism.

"They must not tell us 'there is terror because ofyour settlements' ... It is very important there shouldbe no justification or excuses [for terrorism] and Iam running from place to place like a madman in order to explain this point."

In a meeting at the Foreign Ministry yesterdaymorning, Peres noted that while the United Statesas taken a firm stand against terrorism, "in Europeit isn't easy. There, they accept the equation ofsettlements versus terror. We must not let thishappen in America as well."

Based on his talks with Palestinian officials, Peressaid, he believes that despite the growing hatredthere remains a chance to gain control of thesituation. What is needed, he said, is to build "verbaland political bridges." Because of the violence "thesebridges are more complicated and need more cement..... this is what I am trying to do."

Israel yesterday submitted its official response to theMitchell Committee report, in which the governmentaccepted most of the report's recommendations, butdisagreed with its demand for a complete freeze onsettlement construction, and its link between such afreeze and a cease-fire.

In the coming days, Peres will try to find some formula for the settlements acceptable to both Israel and the committee that could be included in the final version of the report. "The dictionary is very rich," he said. (See story, page 2) Peres said Israel supports the basic game plan laid down in the report - a cease-fire, confidence-building measures, and a cooling-off period leading to resumed negotiations. "The main problem lies in the Palestinians' court - can they stop the terror? I don't want people to say we are responsible, that it's because of the settlements. Ending the terror is the basis for everything."

Four principles, he added, will govern Israel's behavior regarding the settlements:

* No new settlements will be built.

* No land will be expropriated for the settlements.

* The settlements will be discussed in diplomatic negotiations.

* Israel will not exploit the term "natural growth" in the settlements for other purposes.

Peres rejected the criticism he has been absorbing from the left regarding his support for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, pointing out that creating a majority in favor of an agreement is as necessary as reaching one. He said the public wants "left-wing policies but a right-wing government."

He said he believes the unity government will survive, and that he doubts new elections "would change the balance of forces." Peres said the unity government has taken several steps to ease the Palestinians' economic plight, such as permitting more workers into Israel. But he defended the IDF's incursions into Area A (Palestinian-controlled territory). "If they would take away the mortars, we wouldn't go in," he said. "We aren't initiating the disturbances.

MER - WASHINGTON - 14 May 1998:This Sunday Shimon Peres will be giving the commencement address at American University in Washington. It will be all sweet reason of course; "peace" and "reconciliation"; "justice" and "future". Shimon Peres is a master of rhetorical deception But Shimon Peres is a few other things as well; and indeed the cavern between the words he speaks and the acts for which he is responsible is quite massive. Just a few examples:

* Shimon Peres is one of the main architects of Israel's secret nuclear weapons program; which among other things has considerably fueled the race for weapons of mass destruction in the region and beyond.

* Shimon Peres ordered the international kidnapping, secret trial, and brutal solitary confinement of Mordechai Vanunu. The crime? A true man of conscience simply told the LONDON SUNDAY TIMES in England what Israel was really up to at Dimona, Israel's nuclear arms factory, still off-limits to all international inspection thanks to Peres' chicanery.

* Shimon Peres was responsible for the terrible and unprecedented shelling of the Qana U.N. base in 1996; and then oversaw the deceitful coverup including the refusal to even allow U.N. investigators to come to Israel.

* Shimon Peres is one of the primary architects of Israel's novel Middle East apartheid approach to the Palestinians -- better known these days as "Oslo" and the "Peace Process" -- which is well along now rounding up the Palestinians on "autonomous" reservations, the Israeli army at all exits.

[Note: Considerable background information about Vanunu, Qana and the apartheid-style "Peace Process" can be found in past MER articles available at: www.MiddleEast.Org. And for information about the weekly MERTV program which has also focused on these subjects email to INFOMERTV@MiddleEast.Org ]

Now let's also mention while we're at it that even by contemporary standards American University is a very compromised political place these days. The name of Saudi arms dealer Adnan Kashoggi still is highlighted on a major university building. Recently the university has made a deal with one of the Arab client regimes to expand into the Arab Gulf and add some more oil and arms moneys to its coffers. And then there is Clovis Maksoud whose limo and chauffeur drop him off at A.U. to masquerade as a academic when in fact he is one of the well-known Arab-regime hacks and p.r. men around (more on Clovis to come from MER). Indeed, though he prefers to deny he did it, years ago it was Maksoud who helped legitimize Peres in Arab circles by agreeing to appear on an international telecast with him at the very height of Israeli oppression and dispossession of the Palestinians during Intifada I. But even with all these handicaps, let's hope the students at A.U. aren't going to be completely mislead and bowled over by the failure of their university and "professors" to hold to principled positions and academic standards. Peres shouldn't be allowed to use rhetorical flourishes to mask his real past and real deeds.