Daily Alert Archives

Defeat of Terror, Not Roadmap Diplomacy, Will Bring Peace

(Middle East Forum) Newt Gingrich - After watching this charade for more than a decade, including meetings with Arafat in Ramallah and dinners I hosted with Palestinian and Jewish leaders to discuss joint ventures, my conclusion was that we were taken for a dishonest ride by Arafat and his aides. Focusing only on diplomacy as the path to success is wrong. At this moment, the Palestinian Authority continues to use threats of terrorism as a negotiating tool. As recently as February 2005, PA officials warned that without the release of thousands of prisoners, an upcoming Palestinian-Israeli summit would not succeed. "If Israeli intransigence on this issue continues, the summit will fail," said Minister of Communications Azzam al-Ahmed. "If the prisoners aren't released, we will return to the cycle of violence." Hamas, too, maintained its terrorist rhetoric regardless of diplomacy between U.S. officials and the PA. The roadmap should be replaced with a carrot and stick approach that recognizes that the center of gravity for peace in the region is the growth of a pro-peace, prosperity, and freedom wing of the Palestinian people. The primary requirement for peace should be the destruction of the terrorists. This inherently is not a diplomatic task. Smoke and mirrors will not work.
2005-06-17 00:00:00
Full Article