Israel's ruling party rejects Palestinian state
Arafat prepared to accept Israeli state
The US government expects that Arafat should control or influence Palestinian extremists ... in the interests of peace.
Likewise, the US government should also expect that Sharon should control or influence Israeli extremists in his party... in the interests of peace.
The American people and their leaders are being asked to choose sides between terrorists and racists, which terms may be applicable to both factions on any given day.
It is said that, in democracies, the people deserve the leadership they elect. Both nations desperately need changes of leadership before peace can be achieved. It is a sad commentary for these peoples if these aging militants represent their best leadership for the future. All their citizens, men, women and children, not just their militaries, will suffer for this world-class lack of leadership.
In the end, both the Israelis and the Palestinians will suffer the failures of their political leaders to structure a political solution for peaceful coexistence in the region.
In the middle east peace process, Sharon has said that Arafat is irrelevant ... So is Sharon, evidently. Is Bush, also? We'll have to see what he says to Israel's government.