Israel Television defense commentator Ron Ben-Yeshai noted last night that U.S. President Bush\'s call for Israel to halt its anti-terror campaign will encourage Palestinian resistance, leading to an increase in casualties on both sides. He predicted that the terrorist forces in the Church of the Nativity, for example, will hold out longer than planned, and that the IDF will have to accelerate its anti-terrorism offensive, sacrificing caution for dangerous haste.
The grassroots organization Cities of Israel \"sdym@netvision.net.il\" notes that President Bush made a major error in his speech regarding Israel yesterday. He stated that Israel\'s \"government has supported the creation of a Palestinian state.\" In fact, however, \"not only has Israel\'s government never expressed support for creation of a Palestinian state, it has never even discussed the issue.\" COI spokesperson Susie Dym says that statements by Prime Minister Sharon favoring a Palestinian state do not, according to Israeli law, constitute government policy, as stated in Israel\'s Basic Law: The Government, Section 40.
In the past, COI notes, Bush also erred regarding his own government\'s policy: \"The idea of a Palestinian state has always been part of a vision...\" he stated in October 2001. In truth, however, the Bush (Sr.) administration wrote a letter of assurance about a decade ago to the State of Israel just before the Madrid conference stating the opposite: \"In accordance with the U.S. traditional policy, we do not support the creation of an independent Palestinian state.\" \"Who is misinforming President Bush?,\" asks Cities of Israel.
The grassroots organization Cities of Israel \"sdym@netvision.net.il\" notes that President Bush made a major error in his speech regarding Israel yesterday. He stated that Israel\'s \"government has supported the creation of a Palestinian state.\" In fact, however, \"not only has Israel\'s government never expressed support for creation of a Palestinian state, it has never even discussed the issue.\" COI spokesperson Susie Dym says that statements by Prime Minister Sharon favoring a Palestinian state do not, according to Israeli law, constitute government policy, as stated in Israel\'s Basic Law: The Government, Section 40.
In the past, COI notes, Bush also erred regarding his own government\'s policy: \"The idea of a Palestinian state has always been part of a vision...\" he stated in October 2001. In truth, however, the Bush (Sr.) administration wrote a letter of assurance about a decade ago to the State of Israel just before the Madrid conference stating the opposite: \"In accordance with the U.S. traditional policy, we do not support the creation of an independent Palestinian state.\" \"Who is misinforming President Bush?,\" asks Cities of Israel.