To the Sharm Al-Sheikh summit we say: Fish are not bought while in the sea, but on the beach

 

 

Bassam Abu-Sharif is a special advisor to President Arafat.

by

Bassam Abu-Sharif

Sharon’s supporters at the Likud conference behaved like the occupation soldiers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip did. They tried to silence Netanyahu, not for what he was saying or because of the content of his speech, but because he is their leader Sharon’s rival.

 

Despite all these attempts, however, the Likud center voted for Netanyahu’s opinion calling for rejecting the concept of an independent Palestinian state. This vote came to show that Netanyahu enjoys the support of sixty percent and Sharon enjoys the support of forty percent. This vote does not however affect Sharon’s position as Prime Minister of Israel as he enjoys the support of various extreme right parties and does not depend solely on the Likud. This does not mean that these allies will be able to help Sharon when the moment of elections arrives in the year 2003.

 

What is interesting about the decision of the central meeting of the Likud conference is that it closed the way for Sharon and prevented him even from maneuvering with regard to the issue of the political solution proposed by the Americans for the Middle East crisis.

What is interesting about the decision of the central meeting of the Likud conference is that it closed the way for Sharon and prevented him even from maneuvering with regard to the issue of the political solution proposed by the Americans for the Middle East crisis.

The Americans announced a vision of the political solution based on international legitimacy resolutions and asserting that this solution must include the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on international resolutions 242, 338 and 1397 demanding Israel’s withdrawal from the lands it occupied in 1967 and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on them.

The Americans announced a vision of the political solution based on international legitimacy resolutions and asserting that this solution must include the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on international resolutions 242, 338 and 1397 demanding Israel’s withdrawal from the lands it occupied in 1967 and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on them.

The Likud’s decision also closed the way for Sharon to respond favorably to the initiative of Prince Abdulla bin Abdel Aziz, which turned into an Arab stand after the Beirut summit é an initiative that gained the support of the United States, the European Union, Russian and the United Nations.

The Likud’s decision also closed the way for Sharon to respond favorably to the initiative of Prince Abdulla bin Abdel Aziz, which turned into an Arab stand after the Beirut summit é an initiative that gained the support of the United States, the European Union, Russian and the United Nations.

With that the Likud center has directed a slap in the face to all these sides that represent the entire world because the other countries, the nonaligned countries and the Arab and Islamic countries, support the implementation of international legitimacy resolutions and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

With that the Likud center has directed a slap in the face to all these sides that represent the entire world because the other countries, the nonaligned countries and the Arab and Islamic countries, support the implementation of international legitimacy resolutions and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Binyamin Netanyahu has ousted Sharon with whom he does not differ in reality with regard to rejecting the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state. What Sharon was seeking to do was obtain an ambiguous decision to provide him with a wide margin for maneuvering and for this stand not to embarrass him and force him to state his true position regarding the peace process.

Binyamin Netanyahu has ousted Sharon with whom he does not differ in reality with regard to rejecting the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state. What Sharon was seeking to do was obtain an ambiguous decision to provide him with a wide margin for maneuvering and for this stand not to embarrass him and force him to state his true position regarding the peace process.

Sharon’s policy aims at gradually ending the peace process under the banner of security and fighting terrorism. Sharon’s policy is also prolonging the period of this stage so he can bring over more than a million Jewish immigrants from Latin America to house them in settlements built on West Bank lands, especially the Jordan Valley.

Sharon’s policy aims at gradually ending the peace process under the banner of security and fighting terrorism. Sharon’s policy is also prolonging the period of this stage so he can bring over more than a million Jewish immigrants from Latin America to house them in settlements built on West Bank lands, especially the Jordan Valley.

Therefore Sharon proposed to the Likud center that they not vote on the proposal rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state. This means that he wanted matters to remain blurred between his previous announcement regarding the need for the establishment of a Palestinian state and rejecting the establishment of this state to be an independent and sovereign one.

Therefore Sharon proposed to the Likud center that they not vote on the proposal rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state. This means that he wanted matters to remain blurred between his previous announcement regarding the need for the establishment of a Palestinian state and rejecting the establishment of this state to be an independent and sovereign one.

Now matters are out in the open, or they are supposed to be é not for us, we know the facts é but for the West lead by the United States.

Now matters are out in the open, or they are supposed to be é not for us, we know the facts é but for the West lead by the United States.

Sharon believes he has a high degree of intelligence that will enable him to manipulate the official positions of the United States. He also believes that the Jews have enough influence in the U.S. Congress to force the American administration to support his stands and those of the Israeli government.

Sharon believes he has a high degree of intelligence that will enable him to manipulate the official positions of the United States. He also believes that the Jews have enough influence in the U.S. Congress to force the American administration to support his stands and those of the Israeli government.

This belief is at its minimum when Sharon said: “We rule America and control its decision so do not worry. Let me practice some politics to minimize the losses”. This was said in a meeting he had with some members of the Likud center before the convening of the general meeting that was held last night (Sunday, Monday the 12th and 13th of May 2002).

This belief is at its minimum when Sharon said: “We rule America and control its decision so do not worry. Let me practice some politics to minimize the losses”. This was said in a meeting he had with some members of the Likud center before the convening of the general meeting that was held last night (Sunday, Monday the 12th and 13th of May 2002).

Reality and the truth indicate that Sharon does not want peace, and if we look closer we can say that Sharon considers the West Bank an inseparable part of the land of Israel and that the previous governments failure to evacuate Palestinian cities is in his opinion a painful crime whose consequences must be suffered. Sharon proposes (by this he thinks he is out smarting everyone) a project for a long-term truce (perhaps lasting forever), and that following this truce one can talk about or discuss the political solution or what he calls the final status.

Reality and the truth indicate that Sharon does not want peace, and if we look closer we can say that Sharon considers the West Bank an inseparable part of the land of Israel and that the previous governments failure to evacuate Palestinian cities is in his opinion a painful crime whose consequences must be suffered. Sharon proposes (by this he thinks he is out smarting everyone) a project for a long-term truce (perhaps lasting forever), and that following this truce one can talk about or discuss the political solution or what he calls the final status.

Naturally Sharon seeks to terminate the concept of an independent sovereign state and this is what his current tactics are aiming at. For this reason Sharon asked his supporters in the U.S. Congress to propose a bill for a law (which was approved by an overwhelming majority) which considers the West Bank an inseparable part of Israel.

Naturally Sharon seeks to terminate the concept of an independent sovereign state and this is what his current tactics are aiming at. For this reason Sharon asked his supporters in the U.S. Congress to propose a bill for a law (which was approved by an overwhelming majority) which considers the West Bank an inseparable part of Israel.

The United States, whose administration has begun to realize, though slowly, that it has interests in several areas in the Middle East other than Israel, is however seriously proposing that the political solution lies in the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state living in peace side by side with the state of Israel. I have no doubt that the support of Bush and his administration for Israel stems from two factors:

The United States, whose administration has begun to realize, though slowly, that it has interests in several areas in the Middle East other than Israel, is however seriously proposing that the political solution lies in the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state living in peace side by side with the state of Israel. I have no doubt that the support of Bush and his administration for Israel stems from two factors:

The first factor is Bush’s desire to gain a second term in the White House. This depends very much on the support of the Jewish community and the Jewish societies in the United States.

The first factor is Bush’s desire to gain a second term in the White House. This depends very much on the support of the Jewish community and the Jewish societies in the United States.

The second factor is the formation of a pressure mechanism to push Israel towards peace and stability through the American vision of the political solution, after Sharon gained all the support form Washington for committing the massacres and war crimes he committed against the Palestinian people.

The second factor is the formation of a pressure mechanism to push Israel towards peace and stability through the American vision of the political solution, after Sharon gained all the support form Washington for committing the massacres and war crimes he committed against the Palestinian people.

Israel, with absolute support from the American administration, has proved that it can defy the entire world and continue in committing war crimes without anyone being able to stop or restrain it.

Israel, with absolute support from the American administration, has proved that it can defy the entire world and continue in committing war crimes without anyone being able to stop or restrain it.

The question to ask however is: Can Israel maintain the same position if the American administration adopts a firm stand to implement its vision of the political solution?

The question to ask however is: Can Israel maintain the same position if the American administration adopts a firm stand to implement its vision of the political solution?

This is the next predicament for Israeli Prime Minister Sharon, who is hoping and seeking to postpone the meeting or the political confrontation regarding the American vision of the political solution in the Middle East until the year 2003, the year of the next elections in Israel.

This is the next predicament for Israeli Prime Minister Sharon, who is hoping and seeking to postpone the meeting or the political confrontation regarding the American vision of the political solution in the Middle East until the year 2003, the year of the next elections in Israel.

Faced with this situation the Sharm Al-Sheikh summit was convened. Many opinions were stated regarding the outcome of this summit but I say to everyone that what did come out of the summit at Sharm Al-Sheikh was pure wisdom in light of the circumstances the Middle East is going through at the moment. At the same time I would like to point out to those who convened at Sharm Al-Sheikh that what they proposed at their summit constitutes the red line for the whole political process in the Middle East; that is, what they are asking for from the Palestinian leadership is the red line in exchange for them using their influence for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, based on what Prince Abdulla bin Abdel Aziz proposed, that the basis is Israel’s withdrawal back to the June 4th border.

Faced with this situation the Sharm Al-Sheikh summit was convened. Many opinions were stated regarding the outcome of this summit but I say to everyone that what did come out of the summit at Sharm Al-Sheikh was pure wisdom in light of the circumstances the Middle East is going through at the moment. At the same time I would like to point out to those who convened at Sharm Al-Sheikh that what they proposed at their summit constitutes the red line for the whole political process in the Middle East; that is, what they are asking for from the Palestinian leadership is the red line in exchange for them using their influence for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, based on what Prince Abdulla bin Abdel Aziz proposed, that the basis is Israel’s withdrawal back to the June 4th border.

Enough is enough. I have previously stated in Asharq Al-Awsat my opinion regarding the importance and necessity of not buying fish while still in the sea, but buying it instead when it is at hand.

Enough is enough. I have previously stated in Asharq Al-Awsat my opinion regarding the importance and necessity of not buying fish while still in the sea, but buying it instead when it is at hand.

This is because Sharon still believes that the Arabs are fools and that he can deceive them. We completely support stopping suicide operations and we consider killing civilians a heinous crime. We also believe that the Palestinians who carry out the suicide operations are young people who have been misled on the one hand and are victims of Israeli aggression on the other.

This is because Sharon still believes that the Arabs are fools and that he can deceive them. We completely support stopping suicide operations and we consider killing civilians a heinous crime. We also believe that the Palestinians who carry out the suicide operations are young people who have been misled on the one hand and are victims of Israeli aggression on the other.

Resisting the occupation must not stop, it must continue. This is a legitimate right and a national duty, but targeting the occupation soldiers and armed settlers is what is meant, so that the occupation will leave our lands once and for all. As for killing the elderly in buses and youths at nightclubs, this is not what we mean and will never be the aim.

Resisting the occupation must not stop, it must continue. This is a legitimate right and a national duty, but targeting the occupation soldiers and armed settlers is what is meant, so that the occupation will leave our lands once and for all. As for killing the elderly in buses and youths at nightclubs, this is not what we mean and will never be the aim.

Those who plan and carry out these operations must know that by doing this they are not serving the national cause, they are serving Sharon and his government.

Those who plan and carry out these operations must know that by doing this they are not serving the national cause, they are serving Sharon and his government.

We support and practice legitimate resistance.

We support and practice legitimate resistance.

Is there a shortage of soldiers spread all across our homeland, and around its cities, villages and camps?

Is there a shortage of soldiers spread all across our homeland, and around its cities, villages and camps?

Attack the occupation soldiers and not civilians.

Attack the occupation soldiers and not civilians.

When we condemn Israel for committing war crimes because of its killing of thousands of civilians we cannot but condemn and reject any operation carried out by Palestinians targeting Israeli civilians.

Thus, the statement of the Sharm Al-Sheikh summit is right but one again we point out to the summit that fish are not bought while in the sea but on the beach.

Bassam Abu-Sharif is a special advisor to President Arafat.