Egypt’s ex-Defense Minister, Amin Houwaidi, writes an open letter to Sharon

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In an opinion article entitled "Another letter to Ariel Sharon" written for the London-based Dar al-Hayat daily on Monday, former Egyptian Defense Minister Amin Houwaidi launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Sharon, saying his letter was in response to "the letters Sharon sends to the 'Arab street', like Israeli Air Force strikes on [Islamic Jihad terrorist training] camps near Damascus and the continuing war on the peace-loving Palestinians."

"This letter – which might not be the last – is to warn you that you arrived to the quagmire that we expected for you, although its timing was delayed a little", Houwaidi wrote.

"When you ignited the intifada with your stupid visit to al-Aqsa mosque and became Prime Minister, you stressed, in your successive speeches, the ending of the uprising within weeks. All waited day after day, week after week, but year after year, to see before them the defeat of the General in a bloody battle that lacked a political perspective", he wrote.

"With the stupidity of a General that lacks strategic awareness, you smashed all previous agreements against the wall, and brought the situation back to square one, with the unseen desire in your cryptic head, you refuse peace and want to devour the whole cake alone, therefore realizing absolute security for Israel only," added the former Egyptian Defense Minister.

"Prime Minister Sharon, your planes, helicopters, missiles and tanks rendered you full of egotism, make you think that power is the only appliance of political practice, and blinds you to real political means that statesmen use."

"You seem to forget one important thing, that your power is not personal but bestowed by another, the United States of America, and the donor can grant or ban, or at least think that he owes the right to control things if he feels that they clash with its own policy," wrote Houwaidi.

"United States' support for Israel will not last for ever, and when this support stops Israel will be in trouble."

"The Palestinian will was not broken and remains amazingly firm, therefore convincing many that the General might have won some battles. But Ariel Sharon has lost the war, because the battle is a military procedure, yet the war is of political nature."

"The unsuccessful politician – like yourself – is blinded by the fog of war, the sound of tanks and fighter jets deafens him, and he becomes like a bull in the ring charging the red flag in the hands of the matador, that implants swords and knifes in his body, until he falls on the floor, and you General Ariel Sharon, represent the bull, and the intifada is the matador", Houwaidi wrote.

"The General – as we can see – adds to his mistakes another fatal mistake. Instead of building bridges you build separation fences, a matter that Pope John Paul II warned you about, and he advised President George W. Bush to build you a safety net, in the form of the road map to save you from yourself. Bush gave you enough time to terminate the intifada with monstrous and unprecedented operations, financial and military assistance, and the veto. Yet you pursued your temptations, " Houwaidi continued.

"As you can see General, you lost the war because you were unable to break the Palestinian will, and you lost the political fight because fighting became a show and not a means. And you lost public opinion because you over-used brutal force against a solitary people who wants peace, and you lost the security battle because you are building separation fences instead of connecting roadways."

"Since the establishment of the State of Israel, you and your people have longed for security. But you will not find it in the trail that you are following because it is a trail full of skeletons, debris, and blood, and will only lead you to delusion", commented Mr. Houwaidi.

"Why don't you search for security by following another trail full of olive trees?" the former Egyptian Defense Minister penned.