I am puzzled to say the least. Can you help me with this conundrum?
Israel Occupation of Gaza and the West Bank is suddenly a good thing, or at least that is what can be inferred from the behavior of Egypt and Jordan!!
These two Arab countries are lamenting Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the West Bank?? Ah but with a qualifier, it is only the “unilateral withdrawal” that is really the problem?
Each cites the havoc currently created for Egypt by Israel’s departure from Gaza, or the havoc that could potentially be created for Jordan by Israel’s departure from the West Bank if it is done unilaterally?
What is the significance attached to “unilateral” by these two Arab states in this context? Do Egypt and Jordan feel that all of a sudden if the PA Chairman is party to the withdrawal in a final status and peace agreement, it will suddenly make all the difference, or are they really suggesting for Israel to remain in the territories, maybe indefinitely? Will all havoc and anarchy cease, because the PA Chairman inks the deal?
Where is the ultimate responsibility lie, in the hands of the Palestinians or in Israel policing of the occupied territories? I am sorry I don’t see it, please help me I am still confused!!
We advocated for the right things for Israel to do, and we ended up dislocating communities of Jews from their established homes, only to read this lament and the urging to wait some more. Are these Arab countries willing to speak up for Israel internationally and not condemn the “occupation” for its salutary effects on their countries? Or at least denounce terrorism and suicide attacks in the open and especially in Arabic and for the Arabic media, and not in English only and for the international media? Well, short of that, what’s in it for Israel at this point beyond the head and heart aches?
I still don’t see it, can you? Can anyone?
Israel Bonan
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FROM WND'S JERUSALEM BUREAU
Egypt wary of West Bank withdrawal
Mubarak to express reservations at meeting with Israeli PM
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted: May 31, 2006
1:00 a.m. Eastern
By Aaron Klein
C 2006 WorldNetDaily.com
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak with President Bush at the White House in
2002 (White House photo)
JERUSALEM - Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak will express his reservations
about Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's plan to evacuate most of Judea and
Samaria in a meeting next week with the Israeli leader, a top Egyptian
official told WorldNetDaily.
The official said Egypt views the Israeli unilateral retreat as a possible
threat to its security and to that of regional ally Jordan. He said Mubarak
favors the Israeli government conducting negotiations with Palestinian
Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
Political spokesmen for Egypt and Israel announced this week Olmert and
Mubarak will meet Sunday in the Red Sea resort of Sharm al-Sheikh. The
scheduled talks are the latest round of diplomatic presentations by Olmert
regarding his withdrawal plan, which seeks to evacuate most of Judea and
Samaria - mountainous territory within rocket firing range of Jerusalem, Tel
Aviv and the country's international airport.
Judea and Samaria also is commonly referred to as the West Bank.
"Egypt is continually threatened by the anarchy in the Gaza Strip," said an
Egyptian official. "Elements in Gaza have aided and abetted plotters of
terror attacks against our land and sovereignty. A unilateral withdrawal
from the West Bank could bring similar anarchy on a larger scale there and
spill over into (neighboring) Jordan."
The official spoke on condition of anonymity, claiming an on-the-record
interview concerning Olmert's evacuation plan could "complicate Egyptian
diplomatic relationships."
He said Mubarak supports the American-backed Road Map, which calls for the
Palestinians to fight terrorism and for an eventual Israeli-Palestinian
negotiated settlement.
"We don't support Israeli unilateral moves. Mubarak will make that clear to
Olmert during the visit," the official said.
Since Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip last August, rockets have been
fired regularly into nearby Jewish communities, Hamas has been elected to
power and both Israeli and Palestinian officials have stated al-Qaida has
infiltrated the territory.
Egyptian and Israeli security officials accuse Gaza-based militants and
terror groups of smuggling large quantities of weapons from the Sinai desert
into the Gaza Strip.
Egypt last week announced the terrorists who carried out last month's deadly
triple-bomb blasts in the Sinai resort town of Dahab trained for the
operation in the Gaza Strip with local Palestinians. They said Gaza-based
terrorists helped finance the attack.
Also, as WND reported, Egyptian officials earlier had said they suspected a
plotter of the Dahab blasts recently infiltrated the Gaza Strip and was
extended refuge there by local terror groups, including members of Hamas.
The Egyptian accusations were the latest in a string of reports many
analysts here contend shows a deterioration in the relationship between
Egypt and the powerbrokers in the Gaza Strip.
"Gaza is a clear threat now to Egypt," stated the Egyptian official. "What
reason is there to believe things will result otherwise from any West Bank
withdrawal?"
Egypt is said to be very closely monitoring the Hamas relationship with the
Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, which seeks to create an Islamic theocracy in
place of the current Mubarak regime, considered a regional ally to the U.S.
Hamas is an offshoot of the Brotherhood, which won an unprecedented 20
percent of the Parliament in the latest Egyptian elections.
Palestinian security sources close to Hamas told WND Egyptian Muslim
Brotherhood leader Mahdi Akif has been serving as a replacement Hamas
spiritual leader since Israel assassinated former spiritual leader Ahmed
Yassin in March 2004.
Multiple Brotherhood leaders in Egypt have stated many times their group is
strengthened by Israel's Gaza withdrawal and Hamas' ascension to power. They
have said they wish to stage a similar takeover of Egypt.
The Egyptian official speaking to WND also said the Jordanian government has
asked Mubarak to express Jordan's reservations about Olmert's planned Judea
and Samaria withdrawal during next week's meeting.
Jordan's King Abdullah earlier this month reportedly made a similar request
in a letter sent to President Bush urging the American leader to press
Olmert toward Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. Bush and Olmert met last
week in Washington.
Abdullah reportedly told Bush he fears an Israeli withdrawal could threaten
his country.
Earlier this month, Jordanian officials announced security officers caught a
large arms cache smuggled into the country by Hamas members. Jordanian
television broadcast confessions by three Hamas militants who said they
smuggled the arms for possible attacks against Jordanian officials and
interests.
Hamas, which stands to gain from a Judea and Samaria withdrawal, has a
history of anti-Jordan activity. Officials there say they caught several
other arms caches in the past belonging to the terror group. Hamas chief
Khaled Mashaal, a Jordanian citizen, was expelled in 1999 along with other
leaders after a crackdown on the group following accusations of illegal
activities.
Mideast countries are not alone in expressing reservations about Olmert's
Judea and Samaria evacuation.
Following his White House meeting last week with Olmert, Bush's comments
regarding Olmert's proposed withdrawal stopped short of an endorsement.
While giving Olmert credit for proposing "bold ideas" that "could be an
important step" toward peace, Bush stressed the Road Map and urged talks
with Abbas. He stated a negotiated agreement "best serves Israelis and
Palestinians and the cause of peace."
A member of the Israeli delegation at the White House meeting described the
U.S. attitude toward the Judea and Samaria withdrawal as "lukewarm,"
explaining the White House raised a number of concerns, including the
possibility a terror entity will be created in the areas evacuated,
reservations expressed by Jordan and the effects of the plan on U.S.
regional interests.
Introduction copyright 2006 by the author. A World Net Daily Article copyright 2006 by worldnetdaily.com & Aaron Klein (
Egypt wary of West Bank withdrawal Mubarak to express reservations at meeting with Israeli PM). Please forward this article by email with this notice.
Original content is Copyright by the author 2006. Posted at ZioNation-Zionism and Israel Web Log, http://www.zionism-israel.com/log/archives/00000086.html where your intelligent and constructive comments are welcome. Disributed by ZNN list. Subscribe by sending a message to ZNN-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. Please forward by e-mail with this notice, cite this article and link to it. Other uses by permission only.
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