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Copyright © 2001 The International Herald Tribune | www.iht.com
Sharon insults America
The New York Times The New York Times
Wednesday, April 10, 2002
The announcement Monday night that the Israeli military was pulling out of two
Palestinian cities was welcome, but it was far from clear that it signaled the start of
the full, immediate withdrawal from the West Bank towns and refugee camps
repeatedly requested by President George W. Bush.
Earlier in the day, Israel's prime minister, Ariel Sharon, brushed off Bush's demand in
a defiant speech to the Knesset, insisting that the campaign would end only when its
mission had been accomplished.
Perhaps Sharon does not understand. The president of the United States, speaking
out of profound friendship and growing impatience, has asked him to withdraw
"without delay." This was not a request made lightly.
Bush has expressed sympathy with Israel's plight and made clear that its security
and well-being are of the highest concern. He has sent his secretary of state to the
region to try to end the bloodshed. Yet Sharon says he will remove the tanks and
troops whenever it suits him. This is an insult to Bush and the United States.
Sharon, who has always felt that others lacked his courage and conviction and
whose career in the army was marked by defiance of Israel's leaders, has fallen into
old patterns. Historians may debate whether his previous acts displayed bravery or
foolishness, but there can be little doubt that he is doing his country no good by
failing to heed the sincere and urgent request of Israel's closest ally.
It is increasingly clear that the costs to broader Israeli interests far outweigh
whatever
short-term security benefits this military operation may be yielding. Sharon's actions
may be netting some terrorists and some of the terrible tools they employ, but they
are inflaming the fury of thousands more Palestinians and millions of Arabs whose
governments are being asked by Bush to press for more responsible Palestinian
leadership.
The prestige of the United States is on the line in an effort to help Israel, and the
Israeli government is doing nothing to make the job easier.
The military operations, Israel's largest in the West Bank since it first occupied the
area nearly 35 years ago, came in response to the attack by a suicide bomber on a
Passover Seder in Netanya last month. Israel's declared objective is to dismantle the
Palestinian terrorist infrastructure, but Sharon has also targeted leaders and offices
of the Palestinian Authority. Israeli gunfire, curfews and military checkpoints have
abused the lives, livelihood and dignity of the civilian population.
Sharon says he needs more time to destroy the terrorist network. Israeli forces,
however, have already badly damaged the Palestinian civilian infrastructure, with
supplies of water, food and medicine disrupted, independent television shut down
and residents trapped in their homes. More than 200 Palestinians have been killed
and more than 1,500 wounded since Israeli tanks and helicopter gunships rolled into
the West Bank on March 29.
The refusal of Israeli forces to let wounded Palestinians be removed to hospitals is
inexplicable. It is also true that the Arab states have reacted shamefully to Bush's
efforts. He asked them to condemn Palestinian terrorism and make clear that suicide
bombers are murderers, not martyrs. There has been no response. King Mohammed
VI of Morocco, greeting Powell in Casablanca on Monday, asked the American why
he had not gone directly to Jerusalem, as if the Arabs had nothing to account for. In
Bahrain, the American ambassador is the focus of fierce protests because at a mock
United Nations session there for students he requested that, along with a moment of
silence for Palestinian victims, a moment be observed for Israelis as well.
Powell's Mideast mission was never going to be easy. Even before the Israeli
invasion, Arab leaders refused to denounce Palestinian suicide bombings. Arafat still
refuses to call on his people to give up violence. A wise Israeli leader would use the
Bush initiative to show that he stands ready to talk peace with any responsible
partner. Instead, Sharon embarrasses Bush and gives the Arabs easy excuses.
Copyright © 2001 The International Herald Tribune
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