Quote:
Originally posted by Undertoad
Again, that's Bill Clinton's take on it and I will bow to his greater understanding of the situation.
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Now go to details of the Wye River conference as explained in that PBS documentary with interviews from those who were there. Palestinians arrived expecting, based upon a previous meeting, for Israelis to bring a detailed map of how the West Bank was to be arranged. But something happened with extremists on Baraks team. Who was on that team to make sure peace would not happen? Sharon. And so instead of bringing a detailed map as promised, Israelis instead sketched maps on blank sheets of paper.
Palestinians were furious - and rightly so. The conference broke down in blunt exchanges of foul words. Obviously. Again the Israelis would not agree to specifics so that, like in the Oslo agreements, the Israelis could change the agreement over time.
Arafat was very specific. He was ready to settle all details right there and then. But Israel again reneged and refused to sign off on details. Arafat knows from experience. If those details are not stated specifically - not written in detail, then Likud will later take away what was promised in Wye. It was Israel's failure to commit to details that caused the Palestinians to back off.
There were other silly gestures such as Israeli luggage packed and waiting in hallways - like children threatening to run away from home. That too was discussed in the PBS documentary. Curiously those who were able to have the most productive disucssions were security people for both sides. But Wye broke down when Palestinians expected a detailed settlement and Israel refused to agree to those details. Undertoad does not dispute this fact as he did not dispute it previously. Arafat required and was ready to settle details right there and then.
Ironically, in Taba Egypt, during Barak's last days, Israel and Palestinian negoitators, without Sharon present, did discuss and agree on details. Amazing how peace negotiations can be productive when Likud is not present. But then Sharon's actions having always been about racism, massacres, and zionism in its worst form. Therefore Israel under Sharon is now labeled a racist nation.