Wrath
May 21st, 2004, 08:31
If Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has an "exit strategy" for the Gaza Strip beyond razing much of the place, he should share it with the world.
Scenes of carnage this week from the Israeli-controlled enclave of 1.3 million Palestinians have "deeply troubled" Canadians, Prime Minister Paul Martin rightly noted yesterday, and have spurred international calls for a full Israeli pullout.
No fewer than 40 Palestinians and 13 Israelis have been killed in recent fighting near the Egyptian border.
Even U.S. President George Bush, Sharon's staunch ally, has criticized the military operation.
Israeli troops have imposed tough curfews, interrogated thousands, demolished homes and severed power and water — to flush out terror suspects, uncover tunnels and disrupt arms smugglers.
These rough tactics, coming after Sharon's Likud party refused to endorse a Gaza pullout, "have worsened the humanitarian situation and resulted in confrontations ... and have not, we believe, enhanced Israel's security," the White House said.
Sharon seems to be trying to reassure Likud hawks and their settler constituency that he can be tough in Gaza. But he could just as easily have marginalized the diehards by calling a parliamentary vote or a referendum to ratify a pullout. After all, 2 in 3 Israelis want to quit the place.
Instead of heeding the public's wishes, Sharon is now isolated and under fire at the United Nations, in Washington and around the world.
That isolation deepened Wednesday when an Israeli tank crew in the Rafah refugee camp fired what officials called a warning shot that struck a crowd of 1,000 or more. They were marching to protest Israel's actions. Children were killed. Scores were hurt. Hospitals couldn't cope with the wounded.
"We are sorry this happened, and regret the Palestinian casualties," Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz later said. "But in war ... these kinds of things happen."
Perhaps so. But if unarmed children can't march against a 37-year occupation and tough military tactics without drawing tank fire down on themselves, how can Palestinians be expected to heed demands that they embrace the path of non-violence, and shun terror?
Israel undeniably faces a threat from Hamas in Gaza. But these tactics bring Hamas recruits.
Too late, Bush has appealed to Sharon for "maximum restraint." What he should push for now, is a settler and troop withdrawal.
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1085091008760&call_pageid=968256290204&col=968350116795
Scenes of carnage this week from the Israeli-controlled enclave of 1.3 million Palestinians have "deeply troubled" Canadians, Prime Minister Paul Martin rightly noted yesterday, and have spurred international calls for a full Israeli pullout.
No fewer than 40 Palestinians and 13 Israelis have been killed in recent fighting near the Egyptian border.
Even U.S. President George Bush, Sharon's staunch ally, has criticized the military operation.
Israeli troops have imposed tough curfews, interrogated thousands, demolished homes and severed power and water — to flush out terror suspects, uncover tunnels and disrupt arms smugglers.
These rough tactics, coming after Sharon's Likud party refused to endorse a Gaza pullout, "have worsened the humanitarian situation and resulted in confrontations ... and have not, we believe, enhanced Israel's security," the White House said.
Sharon seems to be trying to reassure Likud hawks and their settler constituency that he can be tough in Gaza. But he could just as easily have marginalized the diehards by calling a parliamentary vote or a referendum to ratify a pullout. After all, 2 in 3 Israelis want to quit the place.
Instead of heeding the public's wishes, Sharon is now isolated and under fire at the United Nations, in Washington and around the world.
That isolation deepened Wednesday when an Israeli tank crew in the Rafah refugee camp fired what officials called a warning shot that struck a crowd of 1,000 or more. They were marching to protest Israel's actions. Children were killed. Scores were hurt. Hospitals couldn't cope with the wounded.
"We are sorry this happened, and regret the Palestinian casualties," Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz later said. "But in war ... these kinds of things happen."
Perhaps so. But if unarmed children can't march against a 37-year occupation and tough military tactics without drawing tank fire down on themselves, how can Palestinians be expected to heed demands that they embrace the path of non-violence, and shun terror?
Israel undeniably faces a threat from Hamas in Gaza. But these tactics bring Hamas recruits.
Too late, Bush has appealed to Sharon for "maximum restraint." What he should push for now, is a settler and troop withdrawal.
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1085091008760&call_pageid=968256290204&col=968350116795