Bush's "offer" of a Palestinian state disappoints but doesn't surprise. It disappoints because there was an opportunity to do something to stop the violence in Israel and Palestine. It doesn't surprise because Bush only took the position of his master — Sharon. The Israeli right wing is trumpeting this as a victory. How can anyone see this as a victory when it only guarantees more of the same violence on both sides?

Bush: Off With Arafat's Head

Last night's long--awaited speech by President Bush was to set the pace for the Palestinians and Israelis to step back from the vicious and bloody cycle of violence that has gripped them for nearly two years. Instead, President Bush and his administration have publicly adopted the Israeli agenda of battering the Palestinians into submission. President Bush's illusion that the Palestinian--Israeli conflict may be 'talked away' in a series of speeches is not only a poor example of leadership but seriously places U.S. interests in the region at high risk.

President Bush's administration has utterly failed to comprehend the Palestinian--Israeli conflict and in particular the Palestinian predicament today which is an Israeli re--occupation of the small parcels of land that were transferred to the Palestinian Authority under the Oslo Peace Accords. To add insult to injury, President Bush continues to mismanage U.S. policy with unprecedented unaccountability to the U.S. Congress or the world community. Bush's chronological attempts to address the crisis are as follows: ignore the conflict ---- failed, send Powell to the region -- failed, the Mitchell Report -- failed, the Tenet Plan -- failed, Bush's UN speech -- failed, Secretary of State Powell's policy speech in Kentucky -- failed, send General Zinni on multiple missions -- failed, and the most recent call for an international conference (completely ignored in Bush's latest speech) -- failed. If the creativity applied to avoiding real U.S. action were used to put an implementation mechanism in place to end the Israeli occupation the region would be well out of the conflict by now.
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Bush Speech Ignores Bloody Reality
Palestinian officials see president's map to peace as unrealistic

One-sided offer that will change nothing

Analysis / Yasser won't go

Analysis / Sharon's victory

Tell a Vision
When is a state not a state? When it's Palestinian.

So sad.