?!?!?!?! What the hell is going on? Did Sharon just drop acid? This was his big chance to drive out the palestinians. He not only didn't do that but now he offers them a state? Is anyone else confused? Is this some sort of reward? Maybe he shorted the DOW. What the hell is going on?

Didn't Barak offer Arafat a state? This kinda puts Arafat in a bad sitution. Take a deal and rile Osama your Mama - or continue the violence? Would this mean all Palestinians out of Israel. Hmmmmmmmm.

He will offer them Afghanastan as soon as the lines are painted on the parking lot.

Must have been something the Pope said!

This was his big chance to drive out the Palestinians.

Maybe that's the point. Sharon is no fool. It would be nice to know what's behind this. I am sure we'll get much commentary.

What the hell is going on?

Sharon is making a final, "generous" offer he knows will be refused, so when the IDF really starts taking the West Bank apart in a few weeks he can say "they had their chance".

Grant them a "State" now (with conditions) and you undermine radical terrorism.

Divide and Conquer.

If this is a true report, fascinating.

Well Yassir...that ole clock on the wall is just ticking away. You gonna screw this up too?

This was his big chance to drive out the palestinians.

You'll note how well this worked before. As in 1948 and 1967. They don't disappear or stop being a problem because they're "driven out."

You can kill all the millions of Palestinians. Israel has the military capability to do so. But that would just leave them facing the hundreds of millions of other Arabs, in the same way that each accession of territory just adds another border that must be defended.

I don't claim to have the answers in the Israeli/Palestinian mess. Maybe there aren't any. But it seems obvious that simply "driving them out" isn't a long-term solution.

Makes sense actually. Once there is an independent state they are no longer Israel's problem. Arafat and the PA will have to deal with all the problems raging in the territories and Sharon and the Israelis can sit back and watch Arafat make a complete mess of everyhting. If the Palestinians continue with their terroristic ways and launch attacks into Israel, it will be one country attacking another and the Israelis can do whatever they want to in order to assure their own self defense. Giving them their own state will prove what a joke this whole peace process really is.

I'm not confused at all. Sharon has finally caved in to pressure put to bear on him by Colin Powell and GWB. Israeli hard line strategy, fostered by the Israeli right wing, has intefered with big picture politics for GWB who is trying to build up a coalition for support in fight against terrorists. Arafat may well become a very important pawn by giving him a place for 1,000,000 Palestinians to live. Refer to the the Oslo Conference and the Madrid Meetings. Answer for Israel is to give an inch to get a foot. Powell has been talking with Israelis on this matter for many weeks now. So far, up until today, to no avail.

Wow!

The Judea, Samaria and Gaza Council reacted to the Prime Minister’s comments by saying that only a blind and callous leader would offer the Palestinians an independent state, as the territory already in their control has become a hotbed of terrorism and a base for suicide bombers.

What an encouraging reaction. Now they are decrying having an independent Palestinian state because the area is full of terrorists and suicide bombers. Well, just who do they think created the terrorists and bombers? Yasser, of course.

They already have one. It's called Jordan.

It does not seem to welcome the Palestinian masses with open arms, exactly.

Maybe Sharon should just deport the Palies to Jordan.

--Boris

Sounds like a shrewd move to make sure that all the Palestinians who support terrorism have their own country to be blown up...especially if they continue their current trend of terror.

It also puts Arafat in a Lose-Lose situation......as the Palestinian demands currently stand...watch for more demands to be added to the list as a way to wriggle off the blow torch disguised as a fishing hook.

BTTT.

If we're going to give the Palestinians their own state, I suggest North Dakota.

I think it makes perfect sense.

First declare them a state.

Then the next suicide bomber who can be connected directly to the PA (not difficult to do) will officially be engaging in an act of war - terrorism sponsored by the Islamic Republic of Palestine.

Israel will then declare war and the gloves will be completely off.