Israelis and Palestinians are ready to sign a peace accord. Unfortunately, although the Palestinians have approval from their leaders, the Israelis don't. The Israelis who are involved are left wing Labor. The right wing Israelis, which includes the government and military, are clutching at their hearts and twitching violently over this. The Palestinians are making a historical concession by giving up the right of return. Now the Laborites have to sell this to the public. There is another option on the table. Maybe there is hope. (Is that like saying I hope there is hope?)

Barak slams Labor for allowing MKs to create 'delusional' plan

The hammer's point of view

The government's response to the new peace initiative, attributed to Yossi Beilin and Yasser Abed Rabbo, and to the terrible bombing at Haifa's Maxim restaurant, prove the validity of the expression that whoever holds the hammer tends to see every problem as a nail.

The proposed plan, details of which have not yet been made public, resulted in an instinctive response by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon: he attacked it and accused the Israeli initiators of cooperating with the Palestinian enemy. In other words, Sharon rejects even the attempt to present the public with an alternative to his policy toward the Palestinians. The prime minister automatically rejects a diplomatic solution and thus
manifests his view that the only way of ending the conflict is through military victory.

Sharon is realizing his approach from the beginning of his tenure. He has led a forceful, intense approach against the murderous Palestinian terrorism, by far more powerful and extensive than his predecessor, Ehud Barak. He has enjoyed broad public support for his policy: it is viewed as beyond reproach and as the proper response to Palestinian violence. Sharon's stance has led to the reoccupation of the West Bank cities, to curfews and sieges, to air attacks and assassinations, whose legality is questionable and whose implementation raises ethical objections. The Israel Defense Forces has made use of nearly every form of violence in order to block Palestinian terrorism, but the prime minister's policy has failed if we
judge its results: Sharon has been in power for nearly three years and the situation in the country, in general, and in the confrontation with the Palestinians, in particular, is worse than when he was elected.
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A prison that keeps getting smaller
By Gideon Levy

Israel deploys nuclear arms in submarines

Israel's Arsenal Is Point of Contention
The nation can now launch nuclear weapons from land, sea and air, officials say. The issue complicates efforts to rein in Iran's ambitions.

Report: IDF planning to attack nuclear sites in Iran

Israel warned over separation fence as Syria threatens revenge