Of Pole-vaulting politicians, decisions and responsibilities: the view from Haaretz and Al Jazeera

[Jurriaan Bendien <bendien@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Israel's National Security Adviser Giora Eiland, who has been put in charge
of the disengagement plan, is in good company. His American counterpart,
Condoleezza Rice, also hasn't got a clue where Ariel Sharon is going. People
who have lately met with Dov Weisglass, the prime minister's right-hand man,
are reminded of what Sharon once said about Benjamin Netanyahu, when the
finance minister was prime minister. "His left hand doesn't know what his
right hand is doing." (...) The completion of the "Bantustein plan" that
would turn the two-state vision into a five-state vision (one state of
Israel and four separate Palestinian Bantustans) will have to wait for
better days, like after Bush wins reelection to the presidency. On the other
hand, the public opinion polls in the U.S. point to the distinct possibility
that Sharon will have to give up his special status as a sublet tenant in
the White House. Sen. John Kerry, the Democrats' favorite, has announced
that if elected, he would name Bill Clinton as a special envoy to the Middle
East. For his part, Clinton has said that his only indecision about the
matter is whether the solution he prefers to our conflict is going to be
achieved through the Ayalon-Nusseibeh plan or the Geneva Accord. The better
Kerry's position, the greater Sharon's appetite for a deal with Bush. He
knows that in the U.S. agreements made with outgoing administrations are
kept by incoming administrations. Sharon's problem is that he hasn't decided
what exactly he wants, and Bush's advisers are trying to keep him away from
any meetings that smack of the Middle East.

Complete article: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/392463.html

The Palestinian leadership is examining the possibility of declaring an
independent state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The move is in response
to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's "disengagement plan". "The
leadership is examining many ideas and options to respond to Sharon's plan,"
Yasir Abd Rabbu, a member of the PLO executive committee, told reporters on
Monday.
One of the options was for the Palestinian Authority "to declare itself the
authority representing the independent Palestinian state within the 1967
boundaries with Jerusalem as its capital," said Abd Rabbu, who was also the
chief Palestinian architect of the unofficial Geneva Initiative peace plan.
It would then demand "recognition from the United Nations and the
international community," the former information minister said. "We cannot
wait for Sharon to put his plans into action, we must respond beforehand."

Sharon has warned he will begin implementing a series of unilateral measures
within the next few months if there is no progress in the peace process with
the Palestinians. The disengagement plan envisages a pullout from most of
the Gaza Strip but not the West Bank to which many Gaza settlers may be
relocated. But the Palestinians say Israel must evacuate all of the occupied
territories. Abd Rabbu said the Israeli plan was aimed at turning
Palestinian areas into "ghettos and usurping the rest of the territories".

"Sharon's declarations about the evacuation of the settlements are a
deception and are designed to act as a cover for his racist separation
plan." The Palestinians last threatened to unilaterally declare an
independent state in September 2000 - the date fixed by one of a number of
interim peace accords for a final settelment - but veteran leader Yasir
Arafat renounced the move under international pressure.

After a meeting chaired by Arafat in January, the leadership issued a
statement saying that it "believes it has the right under international law
and signed accords to work towards the creation of a democratic state in all
territories occupied in 1967, with Jerusalem as its capital."

Complete article:
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/7860FF20-AE56-4ED0-A08D-7A302830B5FF.
htm

Darling you gotta let me know
Should I stay or should I go?
If you say that you are mine
I'll be here 'til the end of time
So you got to let know
Should I stay or should I go?

Always tease, tease, tease
You're happy, when I'm on my knees
One day is fine, next is black
So if you want me off your back
Well come on, and let me know
Should I Stay, or should I go?

Should I stay, or should I go now?
Should I stay, or should I go now?
If I go, there will be trouble
An' if I stay, it will be double
So come on, and let me know

This indecision's bugging me
Esta indecision me molesta
If you don't want me, set me free
Si no me quieres, librame
Exactly who'm I'm supposed to be
Digame quien tengo ser
Don't you know, which clothes even fit me?
Sabes que ropas me queda?
Come on and let me know
Me tienes que decir
Should I cool it, or should I blow?
Me debo ir o quedarme?

Should I stay, or should I go now?
"Me entra frio por los ojos" (y es verdad)
If I go there will be trouble
Si me voy va a haber peligro
And if I stay, it will be double
Si me quedo va a ser doble
So you gotta let me know
Me tienes que decir
Should I stay, or should I go?
"Me entra frio por los ojos"

- The Clash