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Last update - 00:00 23/02/2007
Lest the sword slip from our hand
By Ze'ev Schiff
 

When Yaakov Peri stepped down as chief of the Shin Bet, in 1994, Jibril Rajoub, then head of Preventive Security Services in the West Bank, called Peri to express his sorrow. "This is a terrible blow to the security of the state!" said Rajoub. The state he was talking about was Israel. And the fact of the matter is that Rajoub, in his day, did work hard to prevent the second Intifada.

This same Jibril Rajoub has now appeared on television and shocked his Israeli acquaintances with the remark that in the end, the Palestinians will recover every inch of land between the river and the sea. Rajoub?s standing is no longer what it was, but this sudden, Hamas-style declaration undermines our trust in the statements made by so-called "moderate" Palestinians.

With all due respect to my Palestinian friends, I can only conclude from these remarks that we must shut our ears when the Palestinians scatter promises about wanting to live alongside Israel. It is not words that matter, but deeds, and deeds alone.
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Another shocking phenomenon emerges from the appalling account of former cabinet minister and senior Fatah official Sufian Abu Zaida, in an interview with Haaretz correspondent Avi Issacharoff (February 5). Abu Zaida described how his neighbor, a colonel in the PLO, and his nephew, were executed. First they were shot in the legs, and finally in the back, with the gunmen telling jokes while pulling the trigger. Before they shot the nephew, they tried to make him drink acid.

On a previous occasion, Abu Zaida's house was firebombed, and an attempt was made to kidnap his son. "Do you understand how much they hate us?" asked Abu Zaida. "The chances for peace with Israel are greater than the chances for peace between Hamas and Fatah."

Sheik Ra'ad Salah, head of the Northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel, should be reading this. In his fury over the work at the Mugrabi Gate, he repeatedly accused the Israelis of being "murderers." But Sheik Ra?ad knows, of course, what the whole world knows and can see on TV: Arabs in Iraq are brutally murdering other Arabs, most of them innocent. Sometimes they even kill them at prayer, and destroy mosques. Sheikh Ra'ad knows what members of the Islamic Movement in Algeria did to tens of thousands of citizens, including women and children, just a few years ago. But in his eyes, Israelis are the murderers.

There is only one conclusion, and Moshe Dayan already said it in his eulogy over the grave of Roi Rutenberg, who was murdered by Arabs from Gaza in the 1950s: "This is our life's choice: to be prepared and armed, strong and determined, lest the sword slip from our hand and our lives be cut down."

When ex-Mossad chief Ephraim Halevy says Israel doesn't need the recognition of Hamas, he is shifting the focus of the argument. He is getting into the fundamental, the moral and the diplomatic. The key issue here, and our primary concern, is the continuation of terror; today manifested in the continued rocket fire, the refusal to release Gilad Shalit, the attempts to carry out suicide bombings and the massive smuggling of arms. Bringing an end to these things constitutes part of the Quartet's demands.

Of course Israel must help Mahmoud Abbas, and through him, the suffering Palestinian people. But it cannot participate in a sneaky attempt by Hamas to use a moderate and positive-thinking man like Salam Fayad, who would have been the finance minister in a unity government, to put aid money into the hands of Hamas ministers, including those heading the movement's military wing.

Having a moderating force in the Gaza Strip and within the Palestinian Authority is in Israel's interest, but it is not enough. Israel must also insist that the Palestinians pass the critical test of reining in terror and fully abide by all agreements.
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  1.   my view to a t zeev schiff 09:05  |  flashman 23/02/07
  2.   our neighbours will make statements to please us 09:09  |  flashman 23/02/07
  3.   EVEN A RAT WILL BITE 09:10  |  indrajaya 23/02/07
  4.   a little foothold 09:13  |  flashman 23/02/07
  5.   jabril rajoub 09:15  |  flashman 23/02/07
  6.   the danger 09:19  |  flashman 23/02/07
  7.   "they tried to make him drink acid" 09:22  |  flashman 23/02/07
  8.   What a whinge, again 09:23  |  Marilyn 23/02/07
  9.   and algeria and iraq and the continuing horrors 09:26  |  flashman 23/02/07
  10.   "first they were shot in the legs" 10:21  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 23/02/07
  11.   indrajaya the racist 10:33  |  tommy suharto 23/02/07
  12.   Ze`ev Schiff - what a pious, odious, oily hypocrite! 10:35  |  Clickfool 23/02/07
  13.   Predictable 10:36  |  Nada 23/02/07
  14.   How many dead had it costed before Shiff&Co "saw the light"? 10:44  |  Absolute Sweden 23/02/07
  15.   NO CHOICE BUT TO BE ARMED AND READY ?? 10:46  |  Bill. 23/02/07
  16.   More hypocritical fairy tales from Sussex #11 12:00  |  Jonathan S 23/02/07
  17.   Deeds AND electrified fences on Palestinian land. 12:20  |  Maureen Ann 23/02/07
  18.   #8 marilyn 12:25  |  duncan 23/02/07
  19.   double standards 12:29  |  René Fries 23/02/07
  20.   Bill, take your medicine that`s a good boy 12:31  |  Marilyn 23/02/07
  21.   Shiff sees light? He still thinks Israel has something in Abbas! 12:34  |  Pavel 23/02/07
  22.   the jew hater clickfool 12:59  |  yirmiyahu 23/02/07
  23.   Pals are just accepting reality - 2 state solution is dead 13:01  |  SD 23/02/07
  24.   clickfool if you hate bengladeshis 13:02  |  yirmi 23/02/07
  25.   clickfool "starvation blocade" 13:05  |  yirmi 23/02/07
  26.   clickfool if you are unable to show us the 13:07  |  yirmi 23/02/07
  27.   but clickfool`s sickening hypocrisy does not end there 13:11  |  yirmi 23/02/07
  28.   TO MARILYN,MAUREEN ANN IN AUSTRALIA 13:20  |  No Ordinary Prophet 23/02/07
  29.   Palestinian "blood libels"....?? 13:52  |  Swiss (Dino) 23/02/07
  30.   war to come 14:21  |  SAM 23/02/07
  31.   The Great Shock That Is Not 14:28  |  CHGODMK 23/02/07
  32.   How Do You? 14:40  |  CHGODMK 23/02/07
  33.   # 8 Marilyn - ignores the obvious 15:02  |  ChanahS 23/02/07
  34.   Little correction to my # 29 15:07  |  Swiss (Dino) 23/02/07
  35.   Tut, tut, Marilyn and Maureen Ann # 28 15:22  |  Clickfool 23/02/07
  36.   For Yirmiyaju # 22 15:26  |  Clickfool 23/02/07
  37.   Marilyn # 8 15:58  |  Aliza 23/02/07
  38.   A title which nullifies the conclusion 16:05  |  Tosefta 23/02/07
  39.   Quartet foolish preconditions 16:06  |  Tosefta 23/02/07
  40.   Marilyn 16:16  |  Tamtam 23/02/07
  41.   Of course, but 16:32  |  Mark Lincoln 23/02/07
  42.   Israel must mightily defend itself...let the Palis take care of 16:45  |  The Equalizer 23/02/07
  43.   Ze`ev Schiff - typical Zionist warmonger: HOW I WISH .... 16:58  |  JACKAL 23/02/07
  44.   A very sober look at reality! 17:02  |  Giora Sedman 23/02/07
  45.   It is not enough to have a sword in the hand 17:04  |  Boris 23/02/07
  46.   Clicfool I agree with you 100%, you will keep them awake 17:05  |  Clear as Water 23/02/07
  47.   #4 and #17 - The girls 17:07  |  Gadi Nagel 23/02/07
  48.   A title which nullifies the conclusion 17:21  |  Tosefta 23/02/07
  49.   To Marilyn 17:22  |  Awni 23/02/07
  50.   Quartet foolish preconditions 17:23  |  Tosefta 23/02/07
  51.   #34 DOES REALITY PENETRATE TO TIBERIAS 17:36  |  paul harris 23/02/07
  52.   Jackal, so pitiful 17:55  |  bunny 23/02/07
  53.   racist clickfool we know what you are 18:20  |  yirmiyahu 23/02/07
  54.   clickfool "thousands" really? 18:23  |  yirmiyahu 23/02/07
  55.   #34 swiss re palestinan teror 18:25  |  duncan 23/02/07
  56.   tosefta@cannedmessages.com 18:30  |  flashman 23/02/07
  57.   the only time tosefta listens is when he is doing the talking 18:36  |  flashman 23/02/07
  58.   tosefta "why demand the palestinians recognise israel" 18:38  |  flashman 23/02/07
  59.   eagertosefta@cannedmessages.com 18:43  |  flashman 23/02/07
  60.   Marilyn re # 40 Tamtam 18:44  |  ChanahS 23/02/07
  61.   Everything is true but.... 18:46  |  Chick Corea 23/02/07
  62.   Jackal # 43 18:47  |  ChanahS 23/02/07
  63.   Clickfool, your lies are masterful 18:59  |  Allon 23/02/07
  64.   Marilyn, how blind can you really be? 19:09  |  Allon 23/02/07
  65.   Our verbally diarrhetic "flushman"; aka The Hydra 19:26  |  Tosefta 23/02/07
  66.   tosefta "oy if the price doesn`t go down sharply 20:14  |  flashman 23/02/07
  67.   tosefta and the "quartet conditions" 20:29  |  flashman 23/02/07
  68.   # 55 duncan 20:34  |  Swiss (Dino) 23/02/07
  69.   tosefta "get rid of the occupation" 20:36  |  flashman 23/02/07
  70.   So the Arabs must do the same Mr. Ze`ev 20:36  |  Abu Samra 23/02/07
  71.   firmness before terrorism 20:38  |  Pablo Bastida 23/02/07
  72.   tosefta "end the occupation" 20:42  |  flashman 23/02/07
  73.   the way forward is an exchange of land 20:46  |  flashman 23/02/07
  74.   # 29 Dino (Swiss). NOT ONLY IN PAERT DINO,BUT THROUGHOUT ,,,, 21:01  |  Kath` 23/02/07
  75.   # 72 flashman 21:07  |  Swiss (Dino) 23/02/07
  76.   Abu Samra AKA khalid- Zeev is 59 years right 21:11  |  Water is clear 23/02/07
  77.   #70 Abu Samra 21:20  |  Giora Sedman 23/02/07
  78.   Pull out soon, peace is coming when you do so 21:36  |  Semone 23/02/07
  79.   For Allon # 63 21:44  |  Clickfool 23/02/07
  80.   Sciff 22:20  |  Baruch 23/02/07
  81.   # 74 Kath 23:20  |  Swiss (Dino) 23/02/07
  82.   predicatble: TO NADA 00:00  |  Phil 24/02/07
  83.   My view to Zeev Schiff 00:12  |  Ah 24/02/07
  84.   Clickfool--what an apt name! 00:48  |  stephanie 24/02/07
  85.   Clickfool from `Sussex` 00:49  |  Mihaeli 24/02/07
  86.   The theme never went anywhere 01:41  |  TonyL 24/02/07
  87.   Men behind swords 01:53  |  Marcus Aurelius 24/02/07
  88.   Swiss-Dino #75 03:22  |  Tosefta 24/02/07
  89.   Old men`s armies? 03:33  |  Mark Lincoln 24/02/07
  90.   #28 No Ordinary Prophet. Guess what... 04:02  |  Maureen Ann 24/02/07
  91.   Is Clickfool an anti-Semite? 04:42  |  Diz 24/02/07
  92.   Lest the Sword Fall? 06:19  |  joel 24/02/07
  93.   No peace is possible in our time 06:25  |  Voice of Reason 24/02/07
  94.   The Sword 07:05  |  Martin Kessler 24/02/07
  95.   #72 flashman - end the occupation the same way the French did 07:49  |  dana 24/02/07
  96.   Marilyn and Clickfool 09:22  |  les 24/02/07
  97.   # 88 Tosefta 09:42  |  Swiss (Dino) 24/02/07
  98.   #95 DANA REVISITS CLOUD CUCKOO LAND 10:14  |  paul harris 24/02/07
  99.   swiss your belief that a minority will not leave 11:03  |  flashman 24/02/07
  100.   Guess what - got real response from Paul Harris#98 13:44  |  dana 24/02/07
  101.   # 100 dana 14:00  |  Swiss (Dino) 24/02/07
  102.   # 99 flashman 14:06  |  Swiss (Dino) 24/02/07
  103.   We must also reign in our own right wing fanatics 14:10  |  Merle 24/02/07
  104.   # 49 Awni 14:15  |  ChanahS 24/02/07
  105.   Marilyn & Maureen in love 14:56  |  Chasaboy 24/02/07
  106.   to dana in new york 15:03  |  nh 24/02/07
  107.   to ah in usa 15:05  |  nh 24/02/07
  108.   100 Dana 15:11  |  chasaboy 24/02/07
  109.   abbas is a joke 15:26  |  alonitzafoni 24/02/07
  110.   like i said yirmiyahu 15:29  |  alonitzafoni 24/02/07
  111.   Israel will go down in infamy for its theft of Palestine 15:34  |  Nick Ferriman 24/02/07
  112.   #100 dana DE GAULLE IS NOT PRESIDENT OF ISRAEL 15:36  |  paul harris 24/02/07
  113.   How to deal with Maale Adumim (Dana #95) 15:36  |  Tosefta 24/02/07
  114.   to SD 15:37  |  alonitzafoni 24/02/07
  115.   to tosefta 15:55  |  alonitzafoni 24/02/07
  116.   yirmiyahu #53 16:04  |  alonitzafoni 24/02/07
  117.   pablo bastida #71 16:09  |  alonitzafoni 24/02/07
  118.   west bank 16:17  |  alonitzafoni 24/02/07
  119.   flashman 16:19  |  alonitzafoni 24/02/07
  120.   swiss dino #68 16:22  |  alonitzafoni 24/02/07
  121.   clickfool sussex posts have become dried up and bitter! 16:29  |  Bob 24/02/07
  122.   swiss gaza ideology versus jewish ancestral lands ideology 16:33  |  flashman 24/02/07
  123.   to Baruch 16:35  |  alonitzafoni 24/02/07
  124.   tosefta on selling the homes of the residents 16:37  |  flashman 24/02/07
  125.   dana "i would have prescribed a heavy dose 16:41  |  judith ackerman 24/02/07
  126.   swiss dino 81 16:42  |  which ones??? 24/02/07
  127.   dana and the west bank and colonialists 16:45  |  yirmiyahu 24/02/07
  128.   # 81 Swiss (Dino) CORRECTION............ 16:47  |  Kath` 24/02/07
  129.   #102 WITHOUT THEM MERLE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO ISRAEL 16:49  |  paul harris 24/02/07
  130.   dana "offer the jews a free passage to the united 16:53  |  flashman 24/02/07
  131.   dana "we will welcome them here" 16:54  |  flashman 24/02/07
  132.   dana 16:55  |  alonitzafoni 24/02/07
  133.   clickfool and marilyn??? 16:58  |  alonitzafoni 24/02/07
  134.   bob and clickfool 17:07  |  harzion 24/02/07
  135.   bob you must consider the feelings of the poor wretch 17:13  |  harzion 24/02/07
  136.   # 102 Swiss (Dino)re:flashman etc,etc.......... 17:33  |  Kath` 24/02/07
  137.   # 122 flashman 17:51  |  Swiss (Dino) 24/02/07
  138.   # 102 Swiss (Dino) re:flashman 17:52  |  Kath` 24/02/07
  139.   # 128 Kath 17:56  |  Swiss (Dino) 24/02/07
  140.   to Marilyn #8 18:13  |  bo 24/02/07
  141.   not bigger guns Marilyn 18:15  |  CRAZY HORSE 24/02/07
  142.   about 133 - clickfool and Marilyn 18:19  |  The Judge 24/02/07
  143.   Lie down and die 18:23  |  Zionist Pig 24/02/07
  144.   We can say the same for Iran 18:33  |  Guss 24/02/07
  145.   swiss 18:58  |  flashman 24/02/07
  146.   LEBANON 19:17  |  NAD 24/02/07
  147.   # 136 Kath 19:19  |  Swiss (Dino) 24/02/07
  148.   Haaretz. Please put out #81 with #`97 Swiss (Dino) re: Tosefta... 19:51  |  Kath` 24/02/07
  149.   # 120 alonitzafoni 20:13  |  Swiss (Dino) 24/02/07
  150.   # 147 Swiss (Dino). YOU MAY BE RIGHT,BUT...... 20:22  |  Kath` 24/02/07
  151.   # 145 flashman 20:23  |  Swiss (Dino) 24/02/07
  152.   Lest the sword slip 21:02  |  Mitch Cohen 24/02/07
  153.   It is not solely depended on the sword anymore 21:37  |  TonyL 24/02/07
  154.   Sorry Kath, but it`s time for....... 22:24  |  Swiss (Dino) 24/02/07
  155.   # 146 NAD...LEBANON..........I AGREE UP TO A POINT,,,,,,,,, 22:41  |  Kath` 24/02/07
  156.   What should we believe?? 00:08  |  Larry 25/02/07
  157.   DEEDS SPEAK! DEEDS of Iranian stooge Hamasdon`t give no hope 01:49  |  Vittorio 25/02/07
  158.   flashman - stop being so lazy with the one-liners 02:17  |  dana 25/02/07
  159.   #101 swiss (dino) - on intellectual rearmanent - hope not wmd`s 02:43  |  dana 25/02/07
  160.   nh - sorry - analogy still holds 02:56  |  dana 25/02/07
  161.   #108 chasaboy -this nonsense has long since been debanked 03:41  |  dana 25/02/07
  162.   #113 Tosefta - that is a partial solution 03:52  |  dana 25/02/07
  163.   161 DANA dear! 09:16  |  chasaboy 25/02/07
  164.   Chasaboy - Oy Vayy - we agree!!! 10:20  |  dana 25/02/07
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