Assassination of Fatah activist, demolition of Arab homes focus spotlight on Israeli policy

Israel leapt from the frying pan of international scorn into the fire of threatened escalation Monday, as Jerusalem municipality bulldozers rumbled into the Holy City's largely Palestinian eastern half to knock down nine Arab-owned homes, and a wanted Fatah Tanzim leader who had boasted of immunity to assassination met sudden death in a West Bank blast.
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Security brass foresee further escalation in territories

Two killed in separate terror attacks

What the army hides from the public

Good morning, Lebanon

Arafat, as we know, is no angel. He is a liar, a political wimp and a man who never sticks to an agreement. Prof. Bernard Lewis is right in saying it was a mistake to bring him to this country. Those who say that the Oslo accords were amateurish and a terrible mistake are right, too. But to Arafat's credit, let it be said that his political objective is clear: He wants a state corresponding with the pre-1967 borders, with Jerusalem as its capital, and withdrawal from all the settlements.

No one, on the other hand, really knows what Sharon's political objective is, and how he expects to bring peace and security. As prime minister, he rarely speaks to the people or outlines any lofty political vision.

The reason is obvious and represented faithfully by ministers Landau and Lieberman. Sharon doesn't want to reach the point of face-to-face negotiations on the surrender of territories, much less the evacuation of settlements: That could mean the end of his government and his replacement by Netanyahu. One suspects he's in no hurry to adopt the Mitchell plan either, because that would also force him to declare a freeze on settlement activity.
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Weapons of the weak
At the Qalandiyah roadblock, the state of Palestine is being established, according to author and playwright Salman Natoor, who found himself there one hot summer's day

The raucous noise of the road, the motors running and the frequent honking was overwhelmed by the sounds of shooting. On a small hill stood two soldiers. One of them fired into the air. He fired off four or five shots and stopped. I was attacked by hysterical fear. The young men directing the traffic continued with their task and did not look to see where the shooting was coming from. The two soldiers continued firing into the air and then they fired in the direction of the roadblock. The cars stood stock still. The soldiers looked in my direction. One of them aimed his rifle and fired one shot. He hit the car that had stopped in front of me and then he fired another shot and hit the rear window of another car that was also ahead of me. He kept on firing over our heads.
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Emerging alternatives in Palestine
End the occupation: that comes first. Edward Said comments on a brave initiative