<publicly committing to benefits for the people if certain mile stones are met, can go a long way towards getting those people to push their authorities in the right direction.>
Europeans and American tax-payers, have thrown billions down that rat-hole, in the last decade. All of it has disappeared without a trace, leaving behind no noticeable change in attitudes in the streets of Gaza, or in the PA. More of the same, can be expected to produce the same non-result.
What's needed is:
1. an end to colonization activities by Israelis. This is what the road map explicitly calls for, and it is supposed to start now (yesterday, to be exact). I am waiting to see if Sharon is going to announce a halt to settlements, including a reversal of the recently-announced building projects in E. Jerusalem. It is the colonization of their land, more than their poverty and lack of essential services, which drives the anger and despair, which in turn drives the suicide bombing. If that isn't stopped, nothing else matters.
2. The rejectionist groups operating on Israeli-occupied land, must be militarily defeated. This includes Hamas and Islamic Jihad, and at least part of the PLO as well. These groups have said they intend on continuing attacks on Israel. So, there will be no cease-fire. Unfortunately, the initial steps in the road map require an Israeli pullback. And since the Israeli army is the only force with the will and ability to destroy those rejectionist groups, it looks to me like it's a road map to a dead end.
The definition of insanity is: doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results. - B. Franklin |
