Thomas Friedman has an insightful column showing what the new Bush Palestinian policy is supposed to accomplish:
The only hope for Israel is to get out of the territories — any orderly way it can — and minimize its friction with the Arab world as the Arabs go through a wrenching internal adjustment to modernization. I applaud President Bush’s call for Mr. Arafat to be replaced, in what amounts to Mr. Bush’s last-ditch attempt to “re-accredit” the Palestinians as a partner for a two-state solution with Israel. But it is a travesty that Mr. Bush did not act to “re-accredit” Israel, too, as a peace partner for a two-state solution with the Palestinians by insisting that Israel begin pulling back from some of its far-flung settlements in Gaza and the West Bank. It would help the Palestinians undertake their reforms, and it would put Israel in a better position to withdraw unilaterally, if it has to.
Mr. Bush blinked because he didn’t want to alienate Jewish voters. Sad. Because George Bush may be on Israel’s side, but history, technology and demographics are all against it.
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