Stardate 20010829.2206 (On Screen): Israel put itself into an untenable position by invading a Palestinian town in the West Bank and deciding to stay there. Now it's looking for a way to get back out again, in the face of extremely strong international pressure, without seeming to be in retreat. So they've negotiated a "truce" and claimed a win. Richard Boucher, representing the US State Department, says he hopes this will be the start of a much larger truce. He's a fool. As usual, this truce doesn't deal with any underlying issues which cause the conflict. Those issues were worth fighting about up until now and they'll still be worth fighting about next week, and this truce isn't going to anymore than the last one did.
His statement that ending the violence is the way to begin negotiations is equally foolish. Even if you wish the violence would end, as I do, you have to recognize that it is the only bargaining chip that the Palestinians have going into negotiations. If you ask them to give it up before negotiations begin, then what have they go to negotiate with? Anyway, it assumes that the Palestinian Authority can stop it, which may not be the case. (discuss)
Update 20010830: As I expected, there is no peace. Also note the way that UN observers were treated, as a demonstration of the futility of having them in the area.
