Saw this coming:
Mahmoud Abbas submitted his resignation as Palestinian prime minister today, and Israel tried to kill the spiritual leader and founder of Hamas with an airstrike in Gaza City, as the Bush administration’s drive for Middle East peace appeared in danger of disintegrating.
Sometimes I just wish the entire middle east would simply disappear. I am sure there are a few American presidents who have felt the same way from time to time.
President Bush had embraced Mr. Abbas, 68, as an alternative leader to Yasir Arafat, one who was willing and able to champion the new peace plan, called the road map. But in the eyes of most Palestinian politicians and analysts, Mr. Arafat emerged from the struggle strengthened, at least temporarily, with a public that, before Mr. Abbas’s elevation, had shown signs of wearying of him.
For the love of everything holy, will someone pleasse just put a bullet in that despicable terrorist Arafat?
In a closed-door session here today with Palestinian legislators, Mr. Abbas, who was described as worn out and sad, blamed Israel, the Bush administration and Mr. Arafat for undermining his government and his efforts for peace.
In a statement, as before the legislators, he lay the blame primarily with Israel, saying, “The fundamental problem was Israel’s unwillingness to implement its commitments in the road map.” He said Washington had not pressed Israel enough.
But, in a clear swipe at Mr. Arafat and the rest of the Palestinian leadership, he also complained about a “lack of support” for his government and “harsh and dangerous domestic incitement against the government.” On Thursday, when Mr. Abbas presented a summary to legislators of his first months in office, masked men spray-painted the walls outside with slogans denouncing his government, and dozens of protesters chanted against him.
Let’s see- the Americans promoted him and did everything they could to legitimize him, Israel showed remarkable restraint while Abu Mazen did nothing to reing in the extremists, yet he manages to blame them and not himself? It would be funny if it were not so sad.
JKC
John-
Take it easy on Abu Abbas. Had he really tried to crack down on Hamas or Fatah, his lifespan would have been measured in minutes.
Never thought it’d come to this, but I think you’re right about Arafat.
Imam Pshyco Muhammed
This has been happening for fifty years. Enough. There is really only one way this will end and John is correct that it envolves not just Arafat leaving the scene, but Arafat leaving the scene at room temperature. Bush needs to igonore Powell and the State Dept. and turn Israel loose on these terrorists for as long as it takes. The reason the Palistinians won’t accept Israel and with it peace is that they have not suffered enough undoubtedly. Let’s give them what they want.
Watcher
John, I thought maybe you were developing some form of schizophrenia until I realized that you are using a color scheme to indicate quotations within your posts… I have my browser set to override colors specified on web pages, so your fiskings all run together for me.
S-Train
Sometimes humans need learn the hard way. The other countries in the Middle East are fools for not taking the Palestinians in. Instead, Israel is getting ready for one helluva operation. And thousands of Palestinians will be dead. My message to the out-gunned, out-manned Palestinians:
“You have to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em. Know when to walk away, know when to run.”