Temporarily, if not permanently, Israel must turn every square meter of Palestinian dirt into an Israeli police state. They must make the arrests that Arafat never did and arrest or kill the terrorists whom Arafat has perpetually released. Imprisoning Arafat, killing him, or simply removing him from power will not end the terrorism. It will be necessary, but not sufficient.
Like the United States has done in Afghanistan, Israel must go after terrorists in a regime that has chosen to support and engage in terrorism. The United States government asked the Taliban once to expel the Al-Qaeda terrorists from their territory, then promptly took unilateral action when the Taliban refused. Israel has asked Arafat repeatedly to end the terrorism, and he has failed. Israel must now act.
There is no need to argue whether Arafat tried or will try to stop the terrorism. The United States did not ask Taliban rulers to "try" to capture Al-Qaeda members. Good intentions, if anyone believes the Taliban or Arafat might have them, are not going to keep American skyscrapers standing or allow Israeli citizens to shop at supermarkets or celebrate religious holidays without getting blown the fuck up.
Israel must act.
As Prime Minister Sharon has said, Israel is in a war for survival. But a U.S.-endorsed U.N. resolution calls for Israel to withdraw troops from Ramallah and other Palestinian cities. The U.N., and the members of the U.S. government who endorse it, do not support a war against terrorism. It is clear who in the U.S. government speaks for the U.N. It is not President Bush.
On Saturday, President Bush defended the Israeli occupation of Ramallah: "I can understand why the Israeli government takes the actions they take. Their country is under attack."
Bush's statement is in direct contradiction with the faction of the U.S. government that endorsed the U.N. resolution. It is clear that there is dissention within the Bush administration.
Bush needs to end the dissention at once. He needs to lead. He needs to tell the world that the war against terrorism is not an isolated battle in which America is engaged for the mere expediency of the moment. The war against terrorism, if it is to be a winnable war, must be fought by all free countries, against all terrorist regimes.
How long will the free world continue to entrust the task of eliminating terrorism to a man absent of the power and will to do it?
