The Jerusalem Post writes: „So now the deal to open up the Rafah crossing is done.
Yediot Aharonot, in its third editorial, believes the fact that US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was able to force Israel and the Palestinian Authority to conclude the deal on the Gaza Strip border crossings proves that, When America wants something, not even Uzi Landau and Yuval Steinitz can stand in its way.
Hatzofeh praises recent comments by World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz regarding Third World corruption.
Haaretz comments: The agreement grants the Palestinians unprecedented control over the border crossings, and therefore also national prestige and pride. At the Rafah terminal, and later also at the Gaza port and airport, the Palestinians will, for the first time, be able to feel the effects of sovereignty. This milestone in the history of the Palestinian national movement occurred on November 15, the 17th anniversary of Yasser Arafat’s 1988 declaration in Algiers, which is considered the date of the PLO’s recognition of Israel, and which led to the establishment of a dialogue with the American administration… The third party, which succeeded this week in maintaining the momentum of the Gaza withdrawal and in giving both sides a degree of hope for a better future, must move on without delay to the next step: pressuring the Palestinians to disarm the terrorist organizations and Israel to dismantle the West Bank outposts.”
The Jerusalem Post writes: „So now the deal to open up the Rafah crossing is done. That was the easy part, even though it took months of wrangling. The hard part will be for the Palestinian leadership to summon the determination to confront terrorism, without which no such agreement can work… Agreements per se will not quash terrorism; that requires a fundamental decision to do so, even in the face of great risk. Not only is that a decision that the PA has never taken in the past, but it is one that the PA’s current leader has talked about much but has not translated into action… Among the lessons from the failure of the Oslo Accords is that, no matter how detailed an agreement is, it is worthless if it not backed by international support for holding the parties accountable. In simple terms: A deal without consequences is an inconsequential deal. If the Palestinian leadership truly decides to confront and expunge the terrorists, this agreement will prove largely redundant and will be easily implemented. Absent such a decision, this agreement will be added to the heap of previously signed dead letters.”
Yediot Aharonot, in its third editorial, believes the fact that US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was able to force Israel and the Palestinian Authority to conclude the deal on the Gaza Strip border crossings proves that, When America wants something, not even Uzi Landau and Yuval Steinitz can stand in its way.
Yediot Aharonot says that the nation will hold its breath until the date of the elections for the 17th Knesset is set.
Yediot Aharonot, in its fourth editorial, refers to the convoys that the Palestinians will soon be able to send from the Gaza Strip to Judea and Samaria and cites an historical precedent: Until 1967, convoys went from Jerusalem to Mt. Scopus, which was under siege on every side. After the liberation of Mt. Scopus, we exulted in how we fooled the Jordanians and sent equipment, weapons and men.
Yediot Aharonot, in its second editorial, lauds the integrity of Labors MKs Amram Mitzna and Avraham Shochat and laments the fact they are leaving the Knesset soon.
Hatzofeh praises recent comments by World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz regarding Third World corruption.
(BPI – Info)
