April 15, 2004

Arafat denounces US-Israeli Gaza plan

From The Guardian bq. Yasser Arafat today insisted that Palestinian refugees would never give up their right to return to their former homes in the West Bank, in defiance of a new US-Israeli initiative to resolve the Middle East conflict. bq. Mr Arafat spoke one day after President George Bush endorsed a plan that would see Israel retain part of the West Bank - ruling out the creation of a state based on 1967 borders - and block the return of Palestinians refugees there. Hey - we sat tight on the Roadmap to Peace for several years waiting for Arafat to actively oppose terrorism. In fact, the primary thing we wanted was the end to terror attacks. Had Arafat done this, they would have their state now. They would have gotten the right-to-return, they would be sitting pretty now. No - they stuck with terror and the only roadmap they are scheduled for is the one that leads to their continued marginalization as a failed culture. The USA bent over backwards restraining Israel from action -- asking Israel to give the Roadmap a chance. Israel suffered bombing after bombing, attacks on mothers and children in their beds, American visitors. Their time has run out -- they had a fair chance and they made the concious decision not to use it. Posted by DaveH at April 15, 2004 2:33 PM