I find the ‘difficulties’, which politicians and ‘experts’ face to find the solution to the ‘problem’ of Palestine, almost amusing were it not for the tragic events in Palestine which are unfolding today.
Politicians and experts are caught in the mesh of their own weaving.
Prince Abdullah Plan, if actively pursued, provides a real solution to the problem. The obstacles to the solutions are (1) the politics of Sharon and (2) the Bush Doctrine (War on Terror) which Sharon uses to justify his actions.
Sharon's aim is, and has always been, “use every opportunity to increase the size of Israel until it reaches the banks of the Euphrates”.
The meaning of the Bush Doctrine is that it is enough to call somebody a “terrorist” or even a “suspected terrorist” or “terrorist sympathizer”, and you can attack, occupy, and raze to the ground the country from which he came, and, if innocent civilians die in the process, call it “collateral damage”.
This doctrine suits Sharon perfectly to achieve his objectives.
So, when the Americans tell him to stop with his activities (so they get support of the Arab states for the war against Iraq), he answers, “I am only doing what you have been doing in Afghanistan”, and the Americans agree with him, because this is true.
Were it not for this difficulty, there would have been no obstacles to total and permanent peace in the area.
So, as long as the American administration holds on to its “War on Terror” doctrine as the basis of their foreign policy, there is no prospect of a solution to the problem of Palestine.
It is the old fairy tale of the ‘Dress for the Naked King’ re‐enacted on the world stage again and again.
In the fairy tale, the fooled king, who was naked, was told that he is wearing a beautiful dress “which only clever people can see”. Nobody could see the dress, but everybody said that it was very beautiful, because they were afraid to be called fools.
Today nobody dares to tell the President that his “War on Terror” doctrine is madness, because they are afraid to be called ‘pro‐terrorists’.
And as long as this game continues, atrocities, similar to those committed by the Americans in Afghanistan and by the Israelis in Palestine, will continue to be justified as “War on Terror”.
It is time for the real world leaders to pluck their courage and, like the little boy in the fairy tale, say loudly and clearly “the King is naked — The Bush doctrine is madness. It is totally wrong”.
This will save the world from further atrocities.