Mideast peace process requires joint efforts

• Published in: China daily (North American ed.)
• Main Author: Gong Shaopeng
• Format: Newspaper Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, N.Y China Daily 10.07.2006
• Edition: North American ed.
• Subjects: International relations; Kidnapping; Palestinian people; Peace negotiations; Politics; Prime ministers; Truces & cease fires
• ISSN: 0748-6154

Credit for the successful unilateral pullout largely went to [Ariel Sharon]. The former premier enjoyed great prestige among Israelis for his outstanding military role demonstrated in the five Middle East wars, though he was portrayed as a cold-blooded butcher by some international media. Moreover, Sharon had insight into security matters. His words counted as to where Israel should yield and where it should not. Sharon's unique experience as a soldier and his political astuteness largely drove Israel's unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. Caught in this stark reality, [Ehud Olmert] had to appear more hawkish than Sharon where Israel's Palestine policy was concerned. So whenever new Israel-Palestine conflicts broke out, Israel hit back with an "iron fist." Otherwise, Likud, headed by [Benjamin Netanyahu], would have driven Olmert from office, citing the latter's impotence in guaranteeing Israel's security. Viewed in this general political landscape, the current military operations of the Jewish state in the Gaza Strip come as no surprise. As a matter of fact, Hamas is not a monolithic entity. Some pragmatic Hamas politicians, for instance, believe that the ceasefire between Palestine and Israel should be maintained and that negotiations are necessary to address Israel's withdrawal from the West Bank and other issues. Other Hamas politicians, those currently living in Syria and Lebanon in particular, adopt radical political stances, refusing to yield an inch from the hard line policy towards Israel. In between are relatively moderate politicians, who make up the majority of the Haniyeh cabinet.