In this week's Jordan Times, veteran American pro-Arab lobbyist James Zogby analyzes Ehud Barak's crushing electoral defeat. "Most U.S. editorial writers and political commentators offered an easy answer to explain why Israelis elected Ariel Sharon as Prime Minister: it was Yasser Arafat's fault," observes Zogby. "Like their Israeli counterparts .. it was Arafat who undercut Barak's position and it was Palestinian violence that turned Israelis against peace. According to this apologetic assessment, Barak offered too much and Arafat let him down. This is the shared view in the United States and Israel, but it is wrong."
Instead, says Zogby, the reason for Barak's loss was two-fold: Barak's incompetent political behavior, plus "the work of Ariel Sharon, who planted the seeds of this particular defeat of the peace process during the 1970s, when he embarked on the massive settlement building enterprise that led too many Israelis to believe that they could have peace and keep the fruits of their ill got gains."
Arutz Sheva's Ron Meir notes that while Zogby's assessment of Barak's poor management is correct, Yesha communities, some of which were developed by Ariel Sharon, were far from relevant in analyzing the collapse of negotiations. In fact, says Meir, Barak's negotiating team offered the PLO up to 97% of Judea, Samaria and Gaza, plus the Halutza Sands in the Negev to make up for the other 3%. Had Arafat accepted the 97% of Yesha offered him, Meir says, "the Jewish settlement enterprise would have effectively screeched to an abrupt halt. Surrounded by PLO territory, with little room for growth, and with a PLO-driven intensified security threat, Arafat could have, through steady pressure, brought about the death of the Yesha communities. Contrary to Zogby's claims, it was Barak's willingness to give in to Arab demands regarding the division of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount plus agreeing to accept displaced Arabs, that was the key to Barak's devastating electoral defeat."
Instead, says Zogby, the reason for Barak's loss was two-fold: Barak's incompetent political behavior, plus "the work of Ariel Sharon, who planted the seeds of this particular defeat of the peace process during the 1970s, when he embarked on the massive settlement building enterprise that led too many Israelis to believe that they could have peace and keep the fruits of their ill got gains."
Arutz Sheva's Ron Meir notes that while Zogby's assessment of Barak's poor management is correct, Yesha communities, some of which were developed by Ariel Sharon, were far from relevant in analyzing the collapse of negotiations. In fact, says Meir, Barak's negotiating team offered the PLO up to 97% of Judea, Samaria and Gaza, plus the Halutza Sands in the Negev to make up for the other 3%. Had Arafat accepted the 97% of Yesha offered him, Meir says, "the Jewish settlement enterprise would have effectively screeched to an abrupt halt. Surrounded by PLO territory, with little room for growth, and with a PLO-driven intensified security threat, Arafat could have, through steady pressure, brought about the death of the Yesha communities. Contrary to Zogby's claims, it was Barak's willingness to give in to Arab demands regarding the division of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount plus agreeing to accept displaced Arabs, that was the key to Barak's devastating electoral defeat."