Ariel Sharon's Costly Defiance
Editorial
The New York Times
April 9, 2002
The announcement last night
that the Israeli military was
pulling out of two Palestinian
cities was welcome but it was far
from clear that it signaled the
start of the full, immediate
withdrawal from the West Bank
towns and refugee camps
repeatedly requested by
President Bush. Earlier in the
day, Israel's prime minister, Ariel
Sharon, brushed off Mr. Bush's
demand in a defiant speech to
the Knesset, insisting that the campaign would end only
when its mission had been accomplished.
Perhaps Mr. Sharon does not understand. The president
of the United States, speaking out of profound friendship
and growing impatience, has asked him to withdraw
"without delay." This was not a request made lightly. Mr.
Bush has expressed sympathy with Israel's plight and
made clear that its security and well-being are of the
highest concern. He has sent his secretary of state to the
region to try to end the bloodshed. Yet Mr. Sharon says
he will remove the tanks and troops whenever it suits him.
This is an insult to Mr. Bush and the United States.
Mr. Sharon, who has always felt that others lacked his
courage and conviction and whose career in the army was
marked by defiance of Israel's leaders, has fallen into old
patterns. Historians may debate whether his previous acts
displayed bravery or foolishness, but there can be little
doubt that he is doing his country no good by failing to
heed the sincere and urgent request of Israel's closest
ally.
It is increasingly clear that the costs to broader Israeli
interests far outweigh whatever short-term security
benefits this military operation may be yielding. Mr.
Sharon's actions may be netting some terrorists and some
of the terrible tools they employ, but they are inflaming
the fury of thousands more Palestinians and millions of
Arabs whose governments are being asked by Mr. Bush to
press for more responsible Palestinian leadership. The
prestige of the United States is on the line in an effort to
help Israel, and the Israeli government is doing nothing to
make the job easier.
The military operations, Israel's largest in the West Bank
since it first occupied the area nearly 35 years ago, came
in response to the attack by a suicide bomber on a
Passover Seder in Netanya last month. Israel's declared
objective is to dismantle the Palestinian terrorist
infrastructure, but Mr. Sharon has also targeted leaders
and offices of the Palestinian Authority. Israeli gunfire,
curfews and military checkpoints have abused the lives,
livelihood and dignity of the civilian population.
Mr. Sharon says he needs more time to destroy the
terrorist network. Israeli forces, however, have already
badly damaged the Palestinian civilian infrastructure, with
supplies of water, food and medicine disrupted,
independent television shut down and residents trapped
in their homes. More than 200 Palestinians have been
killed and more than 1,500 wounded since Israeli tanks
and helicopter gunships rolled into the West Bank on
March 29. The refusal of Israeli forces to let wounded
Palestinians be removed to hospitals is inexplicable.
It is also true that the Arab states have reacted shamefully
to Mr. Bush's efforts. The president asked them to
condemn Palestinian terrorism and make clear that
suicide bombers are murderers, not martyrs. There has
been no response. King Mohammed VI of Morocco,
greeting Mr. Powell in Casablanca yesterday, asked the
American why he had not gone directly to Jerusalem, as if
the Arabs had nothing to account for. In Bahrain, the
American ambassador is the focus of fierce protests
because at a mock United Nations session there for
students, he requested that along with a moment of
silence for Palestinian victims, a moment be observed for
Israelis as well.
Mr. Powell's Mideast mission was never going to be easy.
Even before the Israeli invasion, Arab leaders refused to
denounce Palestinian suicide bombings. Mr. Arafat still
refuses to call on his people to give up violence. A wise
Israeli leader would use the Bush initiative to show that
he stands ready to talk peace with any responsible
partner. Instead, Mr. Sharon embarrasses Mr. Bush and
gives the Arabs easy excuses.
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