Opinion, September 2003, www.aljazeerah.info
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When ignorance is dangerous: The Case of Condi Rice
Gulf News
24-09-2003
It is said US President George Walker Bush values highly the analyses of National Security Advisor, Condoleezza Rice. Certainly her academic background leads one to believe that with such qualifications, her advise is worthy. While her tendency towards hawkishness is known, less well-publicised are her thoughts on US-Arab relations, in contrast to that with Israel.
A senior aide to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is at present in Washington, D.C., representing a delegation from that country, doubtless to once again expound the views of the right-wing Israeli government to the already-converted hawkish members of the government and the Republican Party. Following a meeting with the delegation, Ms Rice observed that the construction of a fence between Israel and the West Bank "is inconsistent with US goals in the region". At face value, a perfectly reasonable statement to make, if somewhat soft on the strength of the feelings. However, Ms Rice then went on to say that while recognising the security concerns of the Israelis, it was extremely important that the barrier "not intrude on the lives of Palestinians".
One wonders whether Ms Rice is just incredibly naïve or attempting some form of macabre humour at the expense of the Palestinians. If neither is true, then it can only be thought that she lacks awareness of just how much disruption the barrier is causing to the Palestinians. The partition of families, the destruction of farms and orchards, the inability of ordinary citizens to travel freely from their home to their place of work - all these and many more such incidents are daily creating havoc for the Palestinians. And yet, it seems, the US National Security Advisor, who has the ear of the president daily, does not know this. Just how frightening can US foreign policy get?
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| Earth, a planet hungry for peace |
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| The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers (Ran Cohen, pmc, 5/24/03). |
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| The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers in the West Bank (Ran Cohen, pmc, 5/24/03). |
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