Yesterday, U.S. Secretary of State Dr Condoleezza Rice – with EU Foreign policy chief Javier Solana (L) and international envoy to the Middle East James Wolfensohn – announcing the historic agreement she brokered between the Israelis and Palestinians to open the borders of the Gaza Strip to allow free movement for Palestinians within the territories and to the outside world
These days, with the international media focused on the American-led struggle against Islamic jihadists in Iraq, it usually takes a Palestinian suicide bomber killing more innocent Jews for Israel and Palestine to make front-page news. But even then, the media focus returns to Iraq because most jihadists – including Osama bin Laden himself – have invoked the Israeli / Palestinian conflict as the casus belli for their global terror crusade (and Iraq is clearly now their main theatre of operations).
Nevertheless, as an unsparing critic of the Bush Administration’s counter-offensive against these Islamic crusaders, I am relieved to report that the Americans now seem fully capable of dropping bombs and brokering peace at the same time. Because on the day U.S. forces launched yet another military offensive in Iraq, Dr Rice announced from Jerusalem
“…a comprehensive agreement between Israel and the Palestinians designed to open up the Gaza strip to Israel and the outside world.”
This historic agreement will give Palestinians the greatest freedom of movement (of people and goods) that they’ve had since 1967. And, with President Bush taking political heat for blowing-up America’s prestige and goodwill in so many places around the world, this good front-page news is welcome relief; not only for him but for all who value America’s role as peacemaker far more than its role as self-appointed world (democracy) police.
Note: To his credit, however, Bush was the first American President to call for a free and independent Palestinian state complete with contiguous borders. And this agreement – giving the Palestinians control of the border between Gaza and Egypt – represents the most significant move, along the very bumpy road, towards fulfilling this historic promise for the Palestinians and bringing peace to the Middle East.
Endnote: There’s probably nothing but grudging respect in the Clinton camp for Condi’s extraordinary diplomatic feat; especially when it’s juxtaposed with former President Clinton’s futile efforts over 8 years to broker any movement on the Middle East roadmap for peace. Moreover, it must be acutely galling to his wife Hillary that Condi announced this historic agreement at the very time she was canvassing Israel trying to burnish her foreign policy bona fides for her own presidential run in 2008…against Condi.
Things that make you go, hmmm…
News and Politics
Anonymous says
That is a really interesting “Endnote” and so true too. No two people are more self-righteous and power hungry than the Clintons. I think it’s great that Condi showed them up.
Anonymous says
way to go condi. she’s got my vote.