Road Map Lies in Tatters Bush Stance Stymies Peace Process in Middle East
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Summary
It looks like a meeting with little purpose or point. Officials representing the "quartet" of sponsors of the road map for peace in the Middle East (the United States, the European Union, Russia, and the United Nations) are due to gather in Berlin next week. If the agenda is discussing progress on the road map it should be a very short meeting. The initiative, aimed at delivering an independent, viable Palestine in the West Bank and Gaza existing in harmony with neighbouring Israel, appears to lie in tatters after the weekend assassination of Abdel Aziz al Rantissi, the Hamas leader, by the Israeli army. Palestinian militants promised a "volcano of revenge" against Israel for the killing of Mr Rantissi and Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, his predecessor.
The latest assassination was condemned in the West, with the notable exception of the White House, which repeated that Israel had the right to defend itself against terrorist attacks. Of course Israel must have the right to protect its citizens from terrorist attacks, but launching unlawful, targeted strikes of the type that killed Mr Rantissi does not serve the causes of peace and stability in the Middle East. It is only by delivering them, at the negotiating table, that terrorism will be eradicated. Extrajudicial killings serve merely to swell the ranks of militant groups such as Hamas that believe the peace process is dead and that only the gun and suicide bomb can win the day. But they will not. Neither will the policies of Ariel Sharon, the Israeli prime minister, who is prepared to use military might to impose a settlement on the Palestinians that leaves the road map not worth the paper it is written on.See the full content of this document
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Road Map Lies in Tatters Bush Stance Stymies Peace Process in Middle East
Mr Sharon has already secured the support of George...
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