Martillo – I agree with the dismantlement strategy. It seems that if you want a settlement freeze you best not demand a settlement freeze. Better to demand a real goodwill gesture – the initiation of dismantlement. (This has been my own little position on it the last couple months. I’m waiting to hear that word used by Obama.). The Foundation for Middle East Peace, has also emphasized the importance of thinking in terms of dismantling settlements given the current realities.

Dickerson – Thanks for the link.

*

As for the strong language being used:

“Hillary Clinton’s statement was notable because the language was stronger than we’ve heard in years,” said Ali Abunimah, the co-founder of Electronic Intifada, a Web site that analyzes the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “And clearer than we’ve heard in years. But the burden of proof is still on them. If it’s just going to be strong statements, that’s not enough.” (NYT)

and

“Unless these statements [against settlement construction] are followed by decisive action – perhaps to limit American subsidies to Israel – there’s no reason to believe the lip service that failed in the past will suddenly be more effective,” wrote Ali Abuminah, a co-founder of the Electronic Intifada website, in the Nation magazine. (IPS)

Hard to disagree with that assessment. So then, from strong language to … ? The moment of truth is near.

…including Palestine recognizing Israel as a Jewish state, for this to go through.

No, I don’t agree with you on that. Palestine will have to recognize Israel, but not as a Jewish state.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chickenhawk_(politics)

MY COMMENT: That’s a REAL ‘chickenhawk’ for you!

WIKIPEDIA ‘CHICKENHAWK’ REFERENCE -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chickenhawk_(politics)

SEE: “The Gaza Bombshell”, by David Rose @ “Vanity Fair”, April 2008

(EXCERPT) After failing to anticipate Hamas’s victory over Fatah in the 2006 Palestinian election, the White House cooked up yet another scandalously covert and self-defeating Middle East debacle: part Iran-contra, part Bay of Pigs. With confidential documents, corroborated by outraged former and current U.S. officials, the author reveals how President Bush, Condoleezza Rice, and Deputy National-Security Adviser Elliott Abrams backed an armed force under Fatah strongman Muhammad Dahlan, touching off a bloody civil war in Gaza and leaving Hamas stronger than ever…

ENTIRE ARTICLE – http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2008/04/gaza200804

SQUAWK, SQUAWK, SQUAWK – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyeZT_Kg65I&NR=1

“The fact that Obama insists on the same tired articulation of Hamas as a terrorist entity is disappointing.”

My Comment:

Part of the problem here is that the US and Israel will not allow Palestinians to sort out their politics on their own: They interfere relentlessly. From rejecting the democratically elected Hamas in 2006 to insisting on the inclusion of particular Fatah members that Fatah and the general public DO NOT WANT (i.e., US friendly Salam Fayyad as Prime Minister), to insisting on a weak and ineffectual Abbas as President.

It’s hard not to think this is all intentional. Had the democratically elected Hamas been allowed to govern – and, face it, Israeli/US interference with this is as anti-democracy as it gets – the show would be on, Israel would be whining but nonetheless an effective truce (Hudna) would already be in place.

Someone doesn’t want peace and it isn’t the Palestinians.