How convenient to create a 'Road Map for Peace', blackmail the Israelis into accepting it despite it being a rehash of the now discredited Oslo accords which Arafat et al decide to use as a Trojan horse, and then complain that the Israelis weren't doing 150% of what they were supposed to do Marian Wilkinson ('Road map for peace leading nowhere fast' 31/7) suggests.
Let's be clear. A security fence is being erected not because of any border issue, but to keep the 'militants' who protest by blowing up families, out of major Israeli population areas.
If Israel wanted to, the Palestinian problem could be solved in a matter of hours.
Iran has already gone on record that the moment they have a tactical nuke, the 'Jewish problem' ceases. But Israel is not Iran and would prefer peace to war, and failing peace (the Palestinian public is not very interested in non-violent co-existence as poll after poll after poll shows), then the security of Israeli citizens is paramount.
Speaking of Road Map requirements, a central tenet was that the Palestinians dismantle terrorist infrastructures, a step that the 'new Palestinians' are not willing to countenance. While Ms Wilkinson is scathing of Israel, she expresses her sympathy for the poor, misunderstood Mr Abbas being forced to actually do something concrete besides complain that Israel haven't done enough.
It would be interesting if the Age were to report on the way the US Congress esponded to Mr Abbas. In stark contrast to the White House, Congress seem to be aware that Abbas is playing the US for fools.
