Sharon Regrets Not Killing Arafat 20 Yrs Ago

I actually am inclined to agree with Sharon on this one, and the times I've agreed with things Sharon has said can be counted on less than one hand.

If they would have eliminated Arafat in 1982, perhaps the Palestinians would have a country of their own by now, and perhaps fewer Israeli and Palestinian civilians would have been killed over the past 20 years. Perhaps the Palestinians would have seen that the key to their obtaining a country of their own is for them to recognize Israel's right to exist.

Perhaps, however, is the operative word here. The violence might have been worse without Arafat around.

It's all pure speculation, and we will never know.

 

<B>Meanwhile, a letter written this week by a top Israeli government official said the government never formally adopted the so-called Mitchell Report, a key U.S.-backed plan for restarting Mideast peace talks that would require Israel to freeze settlements activity in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The Palestinian Cabinet officially adopted the proposals, published in May 2001 by an international commission, said Palestinian Cabinet minister Saeb Erekat. And Sharon adviser Raanan Gissin said last year that Israel had "accepted and adopted" the report.

The letter from Israeli Cabinet Secretary Gideon Saar to opposition lawmaker Ran Cohen said that while the plan was discussed in several government forums and Israel "expressed a positive stance," there was no vote. The letter was obtained by The Associated Press.

Cohen on Thursday accused Sharon of acting in bad faith and said he believed the government never intended to carry out the proposals.

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Good to know that Israel either doesn't know their policy stance or lied (maybe accidentally) about said stance. So when the Palestinians accuse them of violating those accords and Israel says "no we didn't", they are both right.

Looks like a great situation we have here!