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Last update - 10:33 13/10/2006 Detached from reality By Malik Kabriti It is difficult not to be dismayed by Shimon Peres' call for a new economic order in our region and his insistence on greater investment in weaponry over diplomacy by Israel's leaders. Espoused by Peres' recent article in Haaretz ("Upgrading war, privatizing peace," August 31, 2006), and carried to politicians and Jewish representatives abroad, the campaign highlights a disregard for common justice and a disinterest in dialogue. The assertion that Israel must pursue newer, more advanced weaponry to deter its enemies and to fight unconventional conflicts is an insidious one. In this newspaper, Peres reminded us that, "At one time, I had the privilege to introduce new weapons systems ... that gave Israel the deterrent capacity it still enjoys today ... I am convinced that it is possible to do so again, and for a long time". It seems incongruous that these words were penned by a Nobel Peace laureate and founder of the Peres Center for Peace. Could there be a less ambiguous insight into the mind-set of the current Israeli leadership? Advertisement Peres' hypocrisy and arrogance is hurtful and exasperating to me and many of my colleagues. Referring to Israel's recent clash with Hezbollah, Peres claims that "terrorist organizations ... prefer to hit the civilian population before trying to gain control of territories." While nobody with an interest in peace and common humanity can accept death on either side of a conflict, Peres seems to have overlooked the fact that the overwhelming majority of Israeli casualties in the conflict were members of the military, while most of the Lebanese who died were innocent civilians. He also ignores the fact that the Israeli military regularly targets whole families in Gaza and condones the deaths of innocent bystanders in "strategic" assassinations. Before Hamas took control of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas had spent almost his entire term of office pleading with the Israelis to resume peace negotiations, but to no avail. The message for Arabs in the region was clear: The Israeli administration has steadfastly refused to accept a viable peace partner, no matter who is at the helm of the PA. There exists no agenda for peacemaking within the Israeli politico-military establishment - and why should it? Israel is quite simply above the law. No country has ever flouted numerous UN Security Council resolutions with such impunity and no country has had so many resolutions against it vetoed by the United States. In 2004, a watershed in regional history occurred when the Arab League unanimously agreed that all its members - 23 Arab nations - would establish diplomatic and economic ties with Israel if it agreed to withdraw from Palestinian lands occupied in 1967, i.e. the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem. No sane person would be reproached for hoping that such a bold undertaking could bring about a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict. But the offer was declined in depressing circumstances. Israeli officials and their American counterparts made some vague statements on the issue before ignoring the plan. This was at a time when Abbas' Fatah party was in complete control of the PA. This was confirmation for many, including Israelis, that the Israeli government and its American partners have no interest in a true and just peace in Palestine. Peres contends that "The Lebanese government, like the Palestinian Authority, lost control of its land and its armed forces ... Israel should support the struggle of Fouad Siniora's government to be the sole territorial and military authority in his country and to support the struggle of Mahmoud Abbas for the existence of 'one regime and one gun'". But Peres is well aware that the PA has never had control of its borders or its water resources, let alone its land. And as for peace and security, kidnapping over 11,000 Palestinians and killing and maiming thousands more marks no bold attempt to achieve such a goal. How could starving an entire population by withholding funds and closing borders to trade and essential supplies, lead the Israeli public to expect a besieged and hungry Palestinian population to support security guarantees from an oppressor? Peres' vision of economic prosperity, which would support peaceful coexistence between Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Jordan and Lebanon seems a little blurred. The kindest thing to say about it is that it's a curious assertion, considering the Israelis have gone out of their way to ensure the economic collapse of the West Bank and Gaza by imposing roadblocks outside every village, destroying infrastructure, closing borders to trade (except imports from Israel) and withholding tax receipts collected from Palestinians. In the not-too-distant past, Prince Hassan of Jordan proposed an economic agreement that would inject badly needed prosperity and help foster peace. It is unthinkable that those who are starving and disenfranchised would embrace a peace process that they view as unjust and dictated to them by foreign powers. Prince Hassan understood that. By offering the masses a genuine economic opportunity to be stakeholders, a real 'peace dividend', he believes that lasting peace becomes attainable. Acknowledging the existential needs of people is the only way to disempower the extremists. It seems to me that Peres has become somewhat detached from reality. The Israeli army has inflicted a great deal of pain and suffering on the Palestinian people in recent years. I regret to say that the Israeli authorities can be assured that they have produced enough bitterness and hatred to last for the rest of this century. Just as the anger and violence that erupted after the Oslo agreements were a consequence of the brutality of the first intifada, so will we soon reap the fruits of the seeds of devastation and injustice being sown by Israel and its partners. One thing is certain: With Hezbollah claiming victory against the overwhelming might of the Israeli army, and with Iraq still ablaze and American soldiers dying daily, Israel and America will have a difficult time ahead if they continue with their current Middle East policies. Malik Kabriti is president of the National Energy Research Center in Amman, Jordan Bookmark to del.icio.us   Hunting journalists Who leaked the details of a CIA-Mossad plot against Iran? Farming organic At Or-Gani, Israel's organic revolution is taking on new forms.   1.   Responding to reality 10:49  |  ScotGuy 13/10/06   2.   Old Peres still ahead of his time 11:16  |  Jonathan S 13/10/06   3.   Malik Kabriti, excellent article but..... 11:25  |  Marie 13/10/06   4.   Not a hypocrit - just a realist #1 11:34  |  David 13/10/06   5.   Not a hypocrit - just a realist #2 11:40  |  David 13/10/06   6.   Kabriti`s skewed analysis 11:52  |  Israeli realist 13/10/06   7.   Depressing replies already coming in 11:52  |  Johnboy 13/10/06   8.   And how to change all that? 12:07  |  Michael 13/10/06   9.   When Arabs & Moslems give up trying to eradicate Jews 12:11  |  Bennie 13/10/06   10.   Devastation & injustice 12:13  |  Altalena 13/10/06   11.   Jonathan S 12:38  |  Walid 13/10/06   12.   Benni, when Arabs & Moslems give up trying to eradicate Jews 12:54  |  asad 13/10/06   13.   Johnboy - don`t know nuthin` 12:59  |  B`Galil 13/10/06   14.   Michael in Gay Paris 13:00  |  B`Galil 13/10/06   15.   Walid from Beirut - be careful of lies 13:06  |  B`Galil 13/10/06   16.   #Jonathan S 13:09  |  Peter Dale 13/10/06   17.   To Walid #11 13:12  |  Jonathan S 13/10/06   18.   #6 I believe you are skewing the analysis 13:16  |  Johnboy 13/10/06   19.   "detached" 13:19  |  Akiva Patish 13/10/06   20.   Si vis pacem, para bellum 13:27  |  KUTW 13/10/06   21.   Resolution 181 13:29  |  Marilyn 13/10/06   22.   New powerful enemies 13:56  |  Dr D 13/10/06   23.   PRAISED BE HAARETZ 14:11  |  NEUTERED OBSERVER 13/10/06   24.   Because, unlike Kabriti, he learns from history 14:14  |  David Teich 13/10/06   25.   Expose Peres in the museum for worn out symbols 14:17  |  Carl 13/10/06   26.   PALARABIAN GOVERNMENT and SHIITES CALL for DESTRUCTION of ISRAEL 14:24  |  B 13/10/06   27.   If you want peace, prepare for war 15:03  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 13/10/06   28.   If you want peace, prepare for war...2 15:09  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 13/10/06   29.   What About Arafat`s "Peace" Prize 15:31  |  Ben Israel 13/10/06   30.   The solution is simple,no peace no Israel 15:33  |  maoriboy 13/10/06   31.   Very unenlightened words 15:35  |  BP Diplomacy 13/10/06   32.   The last time that I was in Israel 15:41  |  Johnny Weintraub 13/10/06   33.   Malik Kabrity has a double Standard 15:47  |  Vittorio 13/10/06   34.   Peres 16:00  |  luisa 13/10/06   35.   Arabs do not trust Peres 16:11  |  Lebanese admirer 13/10/06   36.   Arafat won the Nobel Prize too 16:17  |  seth halpern 13/10/06   37.   AN ARAB IS TELLING ISRALE HOW TO DEFEND HERSELF??? 16:29  |  Bimmer 13/10/06   38.   Peres Reality 16:35  |  N Chamberlain 13/10/06   39.   Lebanese Admirer 16:37  |  Jasmine Murphy 13/10/06   40.   Jordan as lunch? 16:38  |  native son 13/10/06   41.   About casualties 16:49  |  krystal 13/10/06   42.   Reality 16:49  |  Sam 13/10/06   43.   Pious Malik,Peres would never call for hanging of terrorists,like 16:56  |  Absoplute Sweden 13/10/06   44.   29 - Solution????? 17:08  |  Bruriah Sarah 13/10/06   45.   krystal about bunkers 17:11  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 13/10/06   46.   Shimon Peres: please do not skip a day of exercise at your gym ! 17:14  |  michal 13/10/06   47.   181 was Accepted by Jews and rejected by Arabs 17:20  |  Bruriah Sarah 13/10/06   48.   Malik Kabriti 17:54  |  E. Windrush 13/10/06   49.   wolf is sheep clothing 18:07  |  Billy jack 13/10/06   50.   No 37. Jasmine, not the Palestinians are stupid. 18:30  |  Lebanese admirer 13/10/06   51.   Hanging terrorists.... 18:38  |  Lebanese admirer 13/10/06   52.   Hanging terrorists.... 18:39  |  Lebanese admirer 13/10/06   53.   Hanging terrorists.... 18:39  |  Lebanese admirer 13/10/06   54.   Don`t forget who is Shimon Peres... 19:12  |  Yankelowitz 13/10/06   55.   simple. as churchhill said. there will always be an army 19:15  |  ralph 13/10/06   56.   malik kabriti makes me flinch 19:40  |  zadok the priest 13/10/06   57.   mr malik plays the innocent.he admits no wrong. 19:44  |  zadok the priest 13/10/06   58.   mr kabriti"greater investment in weaponry" 19:48  |  zadok the priest 13/10/06   59.   mr kabriti does not mention barak`s offer 19:53  |  zadok the priest 13/10/06   60.   mr kabriti"israel has caused enough hate to last 19:57  |  zadok the priest 13/10/06   61.   Who decides on policy ? 19:59  |  Altalena 13/10/06   62.   they gave it to Arafat 19:59  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 13/10/06   63.   i would have expected mr kabriti to be more subtle 20:04  |  zadok the priest 13/10/06   64.   You cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war 20:32  |  Samantha 13/10/06   65.   If you want peace, prepare for peace 20:39  |  Samantha 13/10/06   66.   20. Marilyn: Resolution 181 21:17  |  KUTW 13/10/06   67.   Double standards 21:23  |  John 13/10/06   68.   Peace Prize 22:35  |  David 13/10/06   69.   JEWISH MARTYRS 23:23  |  ron 13/10/06   70.   Peace prize has a spotty record 23:29  |  Pssd Off American 13/10/06   71.   Peretz is a forked-tongue chameleon 23:46  |  Joe 13/10/06   72.   could Malik Kabriti please supply his reference ? 00:07  |  jimbo 14/10/06   73.   Mr. Kabriti, would you mind taking speed reading classes ? 00:22  |  zayyin ba ayin 14/10/06   74.   Dear Malik 00:35  |  Jason Bourne 14/10/06   75.   Marilyn on res 181 01:14  |  peter 14/10/06   76.   Unbalanced crap by unbalced Malik--Haaretz 01:48  |  Sal 14/10/06   77.   SAMANTHA 01:59  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 14/10/06   78.   Israeli realist #6 02:03  |  Guess who 14/10/06   79.   Oh Please 02:03  |  Danite 14/10/06   80.   Margie #26 02:12  |  Guess who 14/10/06   81.   krystal #39 02:17  |  Guess who 14/10/06   82.   MARYLIN 02:29  |  JOJO 14/10/06   83.   Mr. Kabriti 02:32  |  Domingo 14/10/06   84.   the Arab mental model of modern Israel 04:04  |  zayyin ba ayin 14/10/06   85.   The good news for Israel from Kabriti the Jordanian 04:11  |  Voice of Reason 14/10/06   86.   Guess who: TRUE, Mr. Kabriti`s writing underwritten 04:22  |  zayyin ba ayin 14/10/06   87.   Israel must regroup and advance weaponry! 05:15  |  Pat 14/10/06   88.   #79, guess what? 05:24  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 14/10/06   89.   #33 -- Luisa -- You are in no position 05:27  |  Pat 14/10/06   90.   Shimon Peres is a good man 05:29  |  Pat 14/10/06   91.   Kabriti: a DISarmed Israel 05:47  |  Roddy 14/10/06   92.   THEN, peace. 05:50  |  Freddy 14/10/06   93.   mr kabriti we judge from experience 08:22  |  zadok the priest 14/10/06   94.   Very wise....? 09:05  |  Lebanese admirer 14/10/06   95.   guess who i think you will find that israel 09:51  |  zadok the priest 14/10/06   96.   #80 10:02  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 14/10/06   97.   Lebanese Admirer 10:05  |  Jasmine Murphy 14/10/06   98.   Detached from reality 11:39  |  Victor 14/10/06   99.   zayyin ba ayin #86 11:57  |  Guess who 14/10/06   100.   Cipora #88 12:11  |  Guess who 14/10/06   101.   Mr Kabriti is detached from reality 13:22  |  Altalena 14/10/06   102.   How could Arafat... 13:57  |  Jason Bourne 14/10/06   103.   Suspects not confirmed terrorists 14:00  |  Lebanese admirer 14/10/06   104.   KABRITI DO NOT JUST WATCH DO SOMETHING! 14:30  |  gabriel 14/10/06   105.   marilyn and resolution 181 14:49  |  kjeli 14/10/06   106.   Malik Kabriti. 15:32  |  David NIgel Braham 14/10/06   107.   To 103. Lebanese. Who is a terrorist ? 15:59  |  Altalena 14/10/06   108.   Peres 16:15  |  * BENJABO 14/10/06   109.   Asad - you had it in 1999 #12 16:41  |  William 14/10/06   110.   Peres, the old visionary and subservient no.2 man 17:12  |  David ben Avigdor 14/10/06   111.   loony david ben avigdor 18:35  |  zadok the priest 14/10/06   112.   nonsense 19:02  |  Niall 14/10/06   113.   Resolution 181 the basis for the two states 19:08  |  Erik 14/10/06   114.   Shimon peres. 19:27  |  David NIgel Braham 14/10/06   115.   A strong Israel promotes peace 21:33  |  Nathaniel 14/10/06   116.   Israeli governments led by generations of terrorists 22:23  |  Lebanese admirer 14/10/06   117.   To 113. Erik. Cease-fire lines & borders 22:39  |  Altalena 14/10/06   118.   Guess who #99: Iran (IRI) not an "evil empire" at all, 23:23  |  zayyin ba ayin 14/10/06   119.   hey "Lebanese admirer"; were you allowed to write "Palestine" 23:44  |  zayyin ba ayin 14/10/06   120.   Let`s be like Peres: Realistic 01:53  |  ernesto 15/10/06   121.   Marylin (Res 181) 02:26  |  cec 15/10/06   122.   be prepared for war if your going to survive 03:01  |  zionist forever 15/10/06   123.   Detached from reality 05:28  |  MIRIAM 15/10/06   124.   Does that not make sense?? 06:13  |  Scott S. 15/10/06   125.   A Question of Survival 07:06  |  martsyd 15/10/06   126.   Haaretz thin Democracy 07:16  |  Clickright 15/10/06   127.   Mentally blind 07:49  |  George 15/10/06   128.   Palestinians in Jordan No 119 09:01  |  Lebanese admirer 15/10/06   129.   Beware! Israel is getting to think like the USA! 09:43  |  Francois 15/10/06   130.   Fatah recognition of Israel 09:50  |  Lebanese admirer 15/10/06   131.   130: Leb, they did not recognize Israel 10:35  |  David TEich 15/10/06   132.   128: Leb liar 10:38  |  David Teich 15/10/06   133.   113: Erik, one important correction 10:42  |  David Teich 15/10/06   134.   To erik, 113. Borders 10:59  |  Altalena 15/10/06   135.   Johnboy#18 11:01  |  Sarah 15/10/06   136.   #130: it`s was Egypt and Jordan: the al-naqba`s keep coming.... 11:06  |  zayyin ba ayin 15/10/06   137.   what does shimon have in mind 11:35  |  lazerguidedstone 15/10/06   138.   Recognition of Israel`s right to exist 11:37  |  Lebanese admirer 15/10/06   139.   Fatah`s non recognition No 131 11:41  |  Lebanese admirer 15/10/06   140.   No 135 11:44  |  Lebanese admirer 15/10/06   141.   Jordan did not revoke citizenship 11:53  |  Lebanese admirer 15/10/06   142.   hey "Lebanese admirer"; were you allowed to write "Palestine" 11:58  |  zayyin ba ayin 15/10/06   143.   Denying the Palestinians 12:07  |  Lebanese admirer 15/10/06   144.   #141 Leb Adm: Jordanian passports for "west bankers" only ? 12:24  |  zayyin ba ayin 15/10/06   145.   Most of the respondents just "don`t get it !!" 20:17  |  Al 15/10/06   146.   138-41: leb`s continued denials and lies 21:39  |  David Teich 15/10/06   147.   133 D Teich: UNR181 & negotiations 14:25  |  Erik 16/10/06   148.   147: You just don`t get it about the Green Line, p1 20:37  |  David Teich 16/10/06   149.   147: You just don`t get it about the Green Line, p2 20:40  |  David Teich 16/10/06   150.   #148 D Teich 19:59  |  Erk 17/10/06   151.   150: ok, I accept "starting point" 21:42  |  David Teich 18/10/06   152.   Hypocrit 00:22  |  David King 12/11/06   153.   Peres 20:22  |  CdnIsraeli 08/03/08

Today Online Bradley Burston: To the Westerner who 'understands' terrorist Responses: 481 A. Issacharoff: Gazans see yeshiva attack as unusual achievement Responses: 236 U.S.: Peace talks must go on despite Jerusalem massacre Responses: 266 Yossi Sarid: Yasser Arafat is dead, but his curse lives on Responses: 67 Rosner's Domain Whose Jerusalem Is It, anyway? Poll: Should Abbas and Olmert continue their talks? An Israeli and a crocodile (WTR) The Israel Factor: What's wrong with Obama? Rosner's Mailbox: Stop focusing on Israel's favorability polls More Headlines 20:34 Abbas: Despite violence, peace talks must continue 19:26 ADL denounces 'shocking' UN inaction on J'lem terror attack 17:51 Cairo official: Gaza Strip conflict serves Syrian interests 18:00 Report: Peres says Israel will not act alone to halt Iran nuke program 18:07 Egyptian police shoot Darfurian trying to enter Israel illegally 17:52 Israel marks Int'l Women's Day with music, drama and art 11:12 Putin - Not so much pro-Jewish as free from anti-Semitism 20:29 U.S.: Peace talks must continue despite J'lem terror attack 20:13 Germany's Jews opposed to proposal for medal for bravery 13:02 North Korea's leader expresses hope for stronger friendship with Syria 04:15 Yeshiva head: J'lem shooting is continuation of 1929 massacre 07:25 IDF arrests three Palestinians who threw bombs at settlement Previous Editions Select Day 07 mar 06 mar 05 mar 04 mar 03 mar 02 mar 29 feb 28 feb 27 feb 26 feb 25 feb 24 feb

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