Which Came First-The Rockets or the Blockade?

The peace talks could collapse between Israel and the Palestinians. I haven't noticed much peace happening. Rockets have been falling on Sderot constantly since Israel pulled out of Gaza about a year ago. Yet, the Palestinians are threatening us to end the talks. I'm not sure if that would be such a great calamity, since they're getting nowhere. What is that old saying? All talk and no action?...

Palestinians told Israel that Israel had to change its course and accept a more conciliatory approach in negotiations. Conciliatory means to unite, to win over, to gain as goodwill by pleasing acts, to make compatible, to reconcile. We are a stiff-necked people by reputation. I suppose we said something silly like; if you stop firing rockets at us, we will lift the blockade.

Then there's the road map from Annapolis. Evidently we haven't read it right. The Palestinians have done a terrific job, they say. We were expected by the Palestinians to freeze our settlement activity, which means we were not to build in any way.

Fayyad had met with Israel's foreign Minister, Ms. Tzipi Livni. The Palestinians only had the commitment of reforming its financial sector. They had donors give money that was needed by Palestinian authorities. This probably means that the oil rich Arabs gave them some money in promises that I've heard has not turned into cash as yet. They promise but haven't delivered. That sounds familar to me; peace but not stopping the shellling. He said they need about $1 billion dollars to meet its obligations for the second half of this year. Last year they were lucky to find someone in Paris pledge $7.7 billion to the Palestinians over 3 years and was meant for their reform and development programs. The pledgers have since then lost their optimism. Only $215 million of about $835 million pledged by the Arab League nations has been given to the Palestinians. The shortage of money contributes to the economic and humanitarian crisis in the "occupied" territories. We have left there but somehow we are still occupiers.

Livni, in turn, told Fayyad that we removed 60 road blocks, one major checkpoint and other things that constricted the Palestinians' movement. Also, 5,000 work permits had been granted to Palestinians needing work inside Israel. I have a feeling that the work is for construction! By removing these preventatives to terror, we are taking a big risk. We need to see that the Palestinians will actively fight terrorism before we go any farther.

Condoleeza Rice keeps saying that she expects Palestine to be created by the end of the year while Bush is still in office. She actually thinks this is possible. She referred to Ireland as an example of conflict that didn't see an ending just before peace was declared. I don't think they were as brainwashed as the Arabs seem to be. Also, the terrorists in the Middle East get a reward of 72 virgins when they do something terrible for the cause and die. That didn't happen to the Catholics or the Protestants.

Somehow, all the Palestinians problems of spending their money on making rockets to kill Israelis instead of helping their people are Israel's fault. If we weren't there in the first place, they wouldn't have to shoot us.

Reference: Associated Press.