Doc's Talk: Rouhani’s Iran Schooling West on Aggressive Diplomacy

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Rouhani’s Iran Schooling West on Aggressive Diplomacy

Now the rebuttal arguments begin-note, I did share the WH "Facts" post-I shall now begin posting rebuttals to these so-called "facts".

By: Yori Yanover Published: November 24th, 2013 The team that breathed new life into the declining Islamic Revolution: President Barack Obama talking with Secretary of State John Kerry and National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice, with Phil Gordon, White House Coordinator for the Middle East, North Africa, and the Gulf Region, left, looking on. The team that breathed new life into the declining Islamic Revolution: President Barack Obama talking with Secretary of State John Kerry and National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice, with Phil Gordon, White House Coordinator for the Middle East, North Africa, and the Gulf Region, left, looking on. Photo Credit: Official White House Photo by Pete Souza Noah Pollak, Executive Director of the Emergency Committee for Israel, emailed us this statement: "The Geneva Agreement is a defeat for the United States and the West. It fails to uphold even the minimum demand of repeated UN Security Council resolutions that Iran must stop enriching uranium. For the next six months, the centrifuges will not be dismantled and will continue to spin, uranium will be enriched, the 20 percent enriched uranium will stay in Iran, and a reactor designed to produce bomb-ready plutonium will remain just months away from completion. Iran will continue its march to nuclear weapons, with perhaps a brief pause in some parts of the program -- but it will be a pause that refreshes, since Iran will be rewarded right away with significant sanctions relief, with the additional likelihood that the rest of the sanctions regime will begin to crumble. "Congress should make clear that it does not support this deal. Congress should make clear that just because the Obama administration seems to have taken all our options off the table, our allies need not follow us down this futile path of accommodating the Iranian regime's nuclear ambitions. In particular, Congress should make clear the United States will support Israel if Israel decides she must act to prevent a regime dedicated to her destruction from acquiring the means to do so." To get a sense of how flawed is the deal signed on Saturday in Geneva between the world powers and Iran don't go to the western press for analysis – check out the Iranian version. Because, like it or not, the outcome of this deal will be decided in Tehran, not in Washington DC. Here's the Fars news agency's account, verbatim, of the Geneva deal: "Iran and the Group signed a four-page agreement after five days of difficult and intensive negotiations and more than a decade-long nuclear standoff. "One of the pages of the agreement signed in Geneva deals with the easing and removal of the US-led western sanctions imposed against Iran. "According to the deal, no further sanctions will be imposed against Iran. "Oil embargoes on the country will be halted. Iran’s crude sales will be maintained at the current level and Iran’s oil revenues will also be released. "Sanctions on Iran’s petrochemical sector will be completely removed and the sanctions on the country’s auto industry will also be lifted. "Sanctions on exports of gold and precious stones and metals, as well as the ban on the insurance of oil cargoes will be fully lifted. "Iran’s right to enrichment has been recognized in two places of the document. "According to the agreement, the structure of Iran’s nuclear program will be fully preserved. There is no turning back in Iran's uranium enrichment activities. "Fordo and Natanz (nuclear sites) will also continue operation. "In return, Iran will reciprocate with a series of confidence-building measures. "Iran as a confidence-building measure will not further expand its activities in Arak, Natanz and Fordo in the next six months, but (uranium) enrichment below five percent and production of the relevant enriched material in Fordo and Natanz will continue as before. "Iran will also continue its research and development in its nuclear program. "According to the agreement, the 20 percent enrichment will not continue in the next six months since Iran does not need any more 20-percent enrichment. All the enriched uranium will remain inside Iran and no material will be taken out from the country." Permit me to summarize: No more oil embargo. No more sanctions. Iran’s right to enrichment has been recognized. For once, the semi-official Iranian news agency has issued an article The Jewish Press can endorse unequivocally. They're definitely saying it like it is. Now the lies, most of which were delivered by President Obama yesterday, and are collected in what the White House calls "a fact sheet." According to the Administration, the deal "halts the progress of Iran's nuclear program and rolls it back in key respects… The initial, six month step includes significant limits on Iran's nuclear program and begins to address our most urgent concerns including Iran's enrichment capabilities; its existing stockpiles of enriched uranium; the number and capabilities of its centrifuges; and its ability to produce weapons-grade plutonium using the Arak reactor." Except the Iran version says nothing about rolling back anything. It also celebrates the fact that the 20% enriched uranium stays in the country, and that the deal recognizes Iran's right to enrich in the future. So, who's lying? The White House says: "The concessions Iran has committed to make as part of this first step will also provide us with increased transparency and intrusive monitoring of its nuclear program. In the past, the concern has been expressed that Iran will use negotiations to buy time to advance their program. Taken together, these first step measures will help prevent Iran from using the cover of negotiations to continue advancing its nuclear program as we seek to negotiate a long-term, comprehensive solution that addresses all of the international community's concerns." That last thing, the "long-term, comprehensive solution," that's never going to happen. Here's what will happen: Iran will have a month or two of dedicated adherence to every minute aspect of the agreement. Meanwhile, Chinese, Russian, European and American corporations will be drawn in, to usher an economic boom in Iran that country hasn't seen in at least a decade. The State Dept. talk about $7 or $8 billion in a combination of unfrozen Iranian assets and the removal of sanctions – that's going to be more like $50 billion this summer. It's just the nature of business. After 2 months of excellent behavior, Iran will start cheating. Small. Mistakes, really, more than cheating, human error. Inspectors would be told at the last minute they can't come in, try again tomorrow. Elements will be moved without notice, on account of how forgetful Iranians can sometimes be. I'm not making this up, this was precisely the modus operandi of the Iranian nuclear program under the guidance of Hassan Rouhani. In 2003, Iran's foreign minister Kamal Kharazi established a nuclear team with Hassan Rouhani in charge, with special powers to formulate a comprehensive plan for Iran's interactions with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Subsequently, negotiations between Iran and three European states. Rouhani and his team based their efforts on dialogue and confidence building. As a result, they prevented further escalation of accusations against Iran, and blocked a report of Iran's nuclear case to the United Nations Security Council. For the purpose of "confidence building," parts of Iran's nuclear activities were voluntarily suspended at several junctures. In addition to building confidence, insisting on Iran's rights, reducing international pressures and the possibility of war, and preventing Iran's case from being reported to the UN Security Council, Iran succeeded in completing its nuclear fuel cycle and took groundbreaking steps to reach what many considered the point of no return in developing a nuclear weapon. Remember, Rouhani was successful in cheating the West and giving the Iranian nuclear program breathing room to thrive—even as the GW Bush Administration was preparing for the invasion of neighboring Iraq. Rouhani showed he had nerves of steel then, coupled with a stunning ability to charm his foes silly—he continues to possess the nerves of steel and the winning smile. Kerry and the west don't stand a chance. By the time the State Dept. is forced to admit, six months down the road, if not earlier, that they made a terrible mistake, Iran will have repaired the major crisis areas in its economy, and would remain as close to making a bomb, if not closer. I'm sure The Jewish Press will be offering a large variety of op-ed and blog reports on the various details of the bad deal signed yesterday—but we already know, without having to read the minute details, that the game has moved into its next phase. The only real question that remains unanswered for the time being is up to Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to answer: should Israel act now to effectively halt the progress of Iran's deceptive nuclear program, or should it wait until the world knows the Iranians have been cheating all the way to the bank. I honestly don't want to be in this brave man's shoes.

Read more at: http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/rouhanis-iran-schooling-west-on-aggressive-diplomacy/2013/11/24/0/?print

By: Yori Yanover Published: November 24th, 2013

The team that breathed new life into the declining Islamic Revolution: President Barack Obama talking with Secretary of State John Kerry and National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice, with Phil Gordon, White House Coordinator for the Middle East, North Africa, and the Gulf Region, left, looking on. Photo Credit: Official White House Photo by Pete Souza Noah Pollak, Executive Director of the Emergency Committee for Israel, emailed us this statement: "The Geneva Agreement is a defeat for the United States and the West. It fails to uphold even the minimum demand of repeated UN Security Council resolutions that Iran must stop enriching uranium.

For the next six months, the centrifuges will not be dismantled and will continue to spin, uranium will be enriched, the 20 percent enriched uranium will stay in Iran, and a reactor designed to produce bomb-ready plutonium will remain just months away from completion. Iran will continue its march to nuclear weapons, with perhaps a brief pause in some parts of the program -- but it will be a pause that refreshes, since Iran will be rewarded right away with significant sanctions relief, with the additional likelihood that the rest of the sanctions regime will begin to crumble.

"Congress should make clear that it does not support this deal. Congress should make clear that just because the Obama administration seems to have taken all our options off the table, our allies need not follow us down this futile path of accommodating the Iranian regime's nuclear ambitions. In particular, Congress should make clear the United States will support Israel if Israel decides she must act to prevent a regime dedicated to her destruction from acquiring the means to do so."

To get a sense of how flawed is the deal signed on Saturday in Geneva between the world powers and Iran don't go to the western press for analysis – check out the Iranian version. Because, like it or not, the outcome of this deal will be decided in Tehran, not in Washington DC.

Here's the Fars news agency's account, verbatim, of the Geneva deal:

"Iran and the Group signed a four-page agreement after five days of difficult and intensive negotiations and more than a decade-long nuclear standoff.

"One of the pages of the agreement signed in Geneva deals with the easing and removal of the US-led western sanctions imposed against Iran.

"According to the deal, no further sanctions will be imposed against Iran.

"Oil embargoes on the country will be halted. Iran’s crude sales will be maintained at the current level and Iran’s oil revenues will also be released.

"Sanctions on Iran’s petrochemical sector will be completely removed and the sanctions on the country’s auto industry will also be lifted.

"Sanctions on exports of gold and precious stones and metals, as well as the ban on the insurance of oil cargoes will be fully lifted.

"Iran’s right to enrichment has been recognized in two places of the document.

"According to the agreement, the structure of Iran’s nuclear program will be fully preserved. There is no turning back in Iran's uranium enrichment activities.

"Fordo and Natanz (nuclear sites) will also continue operation.

"In return, Iran will reciprocate with a series of confidence-building measures. "

Iran as a confidence-building measure will not further expand its activities in Arak, Natanz and Fordo in the next six months, but (uranium) enrichment below five percent and production of the relevant enriched material in Fordo and Natanz will continue as before. "

Iran will also continue its research and development in its nuclear program.

"According to the agreement, the 20 percent enrichment will not continue in the next six months since Iran does not need any more 20-percent enrichment. All the enriched uranium will remain inside Iran and no material will be taken out from the country."

Permit me to summarize: No more oil embargo. No more sanctions. Iran’s right to enrichment has been recognized.

For once, the semi-official Iranian news agency has issued an article The Jewish Press can endorse unequivocally. They're definitely saying it like it is.

Now the lies, most of which were delivered by President Obama yesterday, and are collected in what the White House calls "a fact sheet."

According to the Administration, the deal "halts the progress of Iran's nuclear program and rolls it back in key respects… The initial, six month step includes significant limits on Iran's nuclear program and begins to address our most urgent concerns including Iran's enrichment capabilities; its existing stockpiles of enriched uranium; the number and capabilities of its centrifuges; and its ability to produce weapons-grade plutonium using the Arak reactor."

Except the Iran version says nothing about rolling back anything. It also celebrates the fact that the 20% enriched uranium stays in the country, and that the deal recognizes Iran's right to enrich in the future. So, who's lying?

The White House says: "The concessions Iran has committed to make as part of this first step will also provide us with increased transparency and intrusive monitoring of its nuclear program. In the past, the concern has been expressed that Iran will use negotiations to buy time to advance their program. Taken together, these first step measures will help prevent Iran from using the cover of negotiations to continue advancing its nuclear program as we seek to negotiate a long-term, comprehensive solution that addresses all of the international community's concerns."

That last thing, the "long-term, comprehensive solution," that's never going to happen. Here's what will happen: Iran will have a month or two of dedicated adherence to every minute aspect of the agreement. Meanwhile, Chinese, Russian, European and American corporations will be drawn in, to usher an economic boom in Iran that country hasn't seen in at least a decade. The State Dept. talk about $7 or $8 billion in a combination of unfrozen Iranian assets and the removal of sanctions – that's going to be more like $50 billion this summer. It's just the nature of business.

After 2 months of excellent behavior, Iran will start cheating. Small. Mistakes, really, more than cheating, human error. Inspectors would be told at the last minute they can't come in, try again tomorrow. Elements will be moved without notice, on account of how forgetful Iranians can sometimes be. I'm not making this up, this was precisely the modus operandi of the Iranian nuclear program under the guidance of Hassan Rouhani.

In 2003, Iran's foreign minister Kamal Kharazi established a nuclear team with Hassan Rouhani in charge, with special powers to formulate a comprehensive plan for Iran's interactions with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Subsequently, negotiations between Iran and three European states. Rouhani and his team based their efforts on dialogue and confidence building. As a result, they prevented further escalation of accusations against Iran, and blocked a report of Iran's nuclear case to the United Nations Security Council. For the purpose of "confidence building," parts of Iran's nuclear activities were voluntarily suspended at several junctures.

In addition to building confidence, insisting on Iran's rights, reducing international pressures and the possibility of war, and preventing Iran's case from being reported to the UN Security Council, Iran succeeded in completing its nuclear fuel cycle and took groundbreaking steps to reach what many considered the point of no return in developing a nuclear weapon.

Remember, Rouhani was successful in cheating the West and giving the Iranian nuclear program breathing room to thrive—even as the GW Bush Administration was preparing for the invasion of neighboring Iraq. Rouhani showed he had nerves of steel then, coupled with a stunning ability to charm his foes silly—he continues to possess the nerves of steel and the winning smile. Kerry and the west don't stand a chance.

By the time the State Dept. is forced to admit, six months down the road, if not earlier, that they made a terrible mistake, Iran will have repaired the major crisis areas in its economy, and would remain as close to making a bomb, if not closer.

I'm sure The Jewish Press will be offering a large variety of op-ed and blog reports on the various details of the bad deal signed yesterday—but we already know, without having to read the minute details, that the game has moved into its next phase. The only real question that remains unanswered for the time being is up to Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to answer: should Israel act now to effectively halt the progress of Iran's deceptive nuclear program, or should it wait until the world knows the Iranians have been cheating all the way to the bank.

I honestly don't want to be in this brave man's shoes.

Read more at: http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/rouhanis-iran-schooling-west-on-aggressive-diplomacy/2013/11/24/0/?print

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The IDF’s Minorities in Numbers and Pictures

In honor of IDF Diversity Week, we present diversity through numbers and pictures. Each year, more and more Muslims, Christians, Druze, Bedouin and immigrants from around the world take on the responsibility of defending Israel.

MUSLIMS:

Muslim Arab Israelis are not required to draft in the IDF, but there are many who volunteer. In 2013, there were over 200 Muslims serving in the IDF and over 300 in the reserves.

Bedouins:

Bedouins are nomadic Muslims who were in Israel when modern borders were set in place and are now considered Israeli citizens. They are not required to draft but a growing number choose to enlist. In 2012, there were over 1,400 Bedouin Muslim soldiers doing regular IDF service and almost 1,500 in the reserves.

Read more:http://www.idfblog.com/2014/02/27/truth-idf-numbers-pictures/#more-34027

Are you aware that in 2013, Middle class taxes go up-significantly?

In January of next year, the federal income tax rate for middle-class taxpayers is scheduled to rise from 25 percent to 28 percent, and the payroll tax is scheduled to rise from 13.3 percent to 15.3 percent… This drives the marginal tax rate based on the aforementioned three taxes to 48.12 percent. Add in state and local property, corporate, excise, and other state and local taxes, and the percentage of each additional dollar that is taxed hovers around 50 percent… When half of each additional dollar earned is taxed away, taxpayers experience a disincentive to start businesses or expand existing ones. This leads to fewer jobs being created.

Why is HAMAS Inside Tampa Schools?

Clare Lopez

Kelly Miliziano, who teaches history classes at Steinbrenner High School in the Tampa, Florida area apparently thinks it’s perfectly OK to invite a senior official of a HAMAS-affiliated organization into her classroom to discuss Islam with her students. According to local media reports, not only has this been going on for years, but in spite of the civil and criminal proceedings that could result from such reckless negligence, the Hillsborough County school superintendent, Mary Ellen Elia, and the chairman of the school board, Candy Olson, also expressed approval for students under their responsibility to be exposed repeatedly to guest speaker, Hassan Shibly, who is the Executive Director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in the Tampa area.
More...

Did You Know... Ignoring the Call to Islam will Bring Jihad

‘Conquest through Da’wa [proselytizing] that is what we hope for. We will conquer Europe, we will conquer America! Not through sword but through Da’wa.’
-- Yousef al-Qaradawi , Muslim Brotherhood spiritual leader The Arabic word ‘Da’wa’ means the “call to Islam.” But do not think that Da’wa is the same thing as an invitation to an optional holiday event. The classical Islamic doctrine of jihad mandates that enemies must be given the opportunity to convert to Islam or pay the jizya tax before it is permissible to attack them.
Clare M. Lopez

Who is being discriminated-facts tell the truth

Religious bias

Hate crimes motivated by religious bias accounted for 1,409 offenses reported by law enforcement. A breakdown of the bias motivation of religious-bias offenses showed:

65.4 percent were anti-Jewish.
13.2 percent were anti-Islamic.
9.5 percent were anti-other religion, i.e., those not specified.
4.3 percent were anti-Catholic.
3.8 percent were anti-multiple religions, group.
3.3 percent were anti-Protestant.
0.5 percent were anti-Atheism/Agnosticism/etc.

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/hate-crime/2010/narratives/hate-crime-2010-incidents-and-offenses.

On March 31, 1977, the Dutch newspaper Trouw published an interview

with PLO executive committee member Zahir Muhsein. Here's what he said:

"The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people, since Arab national interests demand that we posit the existence of a distinct "Palestinian people" to oppose Zionism.

For tactical reasons, Jordan, which is a sovereign state with defined borders, cannot raise claims to Haifa and Jaffa, while as a Palestinian, I can undoubtedly demand Haifa, Jaffa, Beer-Sheva and Jerusalem. However, the moment we reclaim our right to all of Palestine, we will not wait even a minute to unite Palestine and Jordan."

In March 1977, Zahir Muhsein, a PLO executive, said:

"The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people, since Arab national interests demand that we posit the existence of a distinct Palestinian people to oppose Zionism."

"For tactical reasons, Jordan, which is a sovereign state with defined borders, cannot raise claims to Haifa and Jaffa, while as a Palestinian, I can undoubtedly demand Haifa, Jaffa, Beer-Sheva and Jerusalem. However, the moment we reclaim our right to all of Palestine, we will not wait even a minute to unite Palestine and Jordan."

The Arab Apartheid

Ben-Dror Yemini
In 1948, the Arab countries refused to accept the UN partition proposal and they launched a war of annihilation against the State of Israel which had barely been established. All precedents in this matter showed that the party that starts the war - and with a declaration of annihilation, yet - pays a price for it. Between 550,000 and 710,000 Arabs fled because of the war and a larger number of 850,000 Jews were expelled or fled from Arab countries (the "Jewish nakba").
Population exchanges and expulsions were the norm at that time, occurring in dozens of other conflict points and affecting about 52 million people. In all the population exchange precedents that occurred during or at the end of an armed conflict, there was no return of refugees to the previous region, which had turned into a new national state.
Only the Arab states acted completely differently from the rest of the world. Instead of assimilating the refugees, they crushed them despite the fact that they were their coreligionists and members of the Arab nation - instituting a regime of apartheid. So the "nakba" was not caused by the actual dispossession, which had also been experienced by tens of millions of others. The "nakba" is the story of the apartheid, oppression, abuse and denial of rights suffered by the Arab refugees at the hands of the Arab countries. (Maariv)

International Law and Military Operations in Practice - Col. Richard Kemp

"Islamist fighting groups study the international laws of armed conflict carefully and they understand it well. They know that a British or Israeli commander and his men are bound by international law and the rules of engagement that flow from it. They then do their utmost to exploit what they view as one of their enemy's main weaknesses. Their very modus operandi is built on the correct assumption that Western armies will normally abide by the rules, while these insurgents employ a deliberate policy of operating consistently outside international law. "

Lost Historical Moments

What Rabin’s last Knesset speech really said:repudiation of a Palestinian state

Rabin ruled out a fully sovereign Palestinian state :

“We view the permanent solution in the framework of State of Israel which will include most of the area of the Land of Israel as it was under the rule of the British Mandate, and alongside it a Palestinian entity which will be a home to most of the Palestinian residents living in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. We would like this to be an entity which is less than a state, and which will independently run the lives of the Palestinians under its authority.”

Rabin ruled out a total withdrawal from Judea and Samaria and thus a return to the pre-June 1967 borders :

“The borders of the State of Israel, during the permanent solution, will be beyond the lines which existed before the Six Day War. We will not return to the 4 June 1967 lines.”

Rabin ruled out withdrawing form the Jordan Valley:

“The security border of the State of Israel will be located in the Jordan Valley, in the broadest meaning of that term.”

Rabin ruled out uprooting settlement blocs, like the Gush Katif bloc in Gaza (which was subsequently uprooted by former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon):

“The establishment of blocs of settlements in Judea and Samaria, like the one in Gush Katif.

AND

Rabin ruled out removing any settlement before coming to a full peace agreement with the Palestinians:

“I want to remind you: we committed ourselves, that is, we came to an agreement, and committed ourselves before the Knesset, not to uproot a single settlement in the framework of the interim agreement, and not to hinder building for natural growth.”

Rabin insisted on Israel retaining full security control of the borders with Egypt and Jordan, contrary to Israel’s relinquishment of the Philadelphia Corridor on the border with Egypt:

“The responsibility for external security along the borders with Egypt and Jordan, as well as control over the airspace above all of the territories and Gaza Strip maritime zone, remains in our hands.”

Correcting Oslo Myths-Part 2

3) Kuttab laments that the post-1993 Oslo process resulted in a Palestinian Authority "whose ministers and legislators are not guaranteed passage between Gaza and the West Bank ...."

Before free passage or other perquisites, PA leaders were obligated, among other things, to eliminate the terrorist infrastructure in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, end anti-Israeli, antisemitic incitement in schools, mosques, and communications media, and resolve all outstanding issues through peaceful negotiations. They met none of these commitments, sometimes bolstering terrorism and greatly increasing incitement.

4) Kuttab complains that under Oslo the PA got "lightly armed police ---- but no real sovereignty over the land or contiguity between our communities in Gaza and the West Bank."

Oslo agreements repeatedly were revised, regardless of Palestinian non-compliance, until the authorized number of police grew from 8,000 to 40,000. Though they were to be the only armed forces in the territories, Israeli estimates early in the second intifada put the number of gunmen - police, "security services," terrorists, and armed gangs - at 85,000. Their armament reportedly included not only heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, but also anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles.

Sovereignty was to be negotiated in the envisioned 1998 "final status" talks - after a five-year period of confidence-building. Palestinian leadership chronically undermined the process. Palestinian terrorism made the 1993 - 1998 Oslo period more deadly for Israelis than the 15 years preceding it.

The United States doesn't have contiguity between the lower 48 states and Alaska and Hawaii; territorial contiguity between the West Bank and Gaza Strip - that is, through the 20 miles of Israeli territory between them - was never promised and would destroy Israeli contiguity.

5) "Palestinians have been made to endure hundreds of checkpoints in the West Bank, an eight-foot wall deep in our territories, and tight Israeli control over borders."

The security barrier is not "deep in Palestinian territories," but rather encompasses less than 8 percent of Judea and Samaria, and is mostly a fence, rarely a wall; the land in question is not "our [Palestinian] territories" but disputed territory to which, according to the authors of U.N. Security Council Resolution 242, Jews as well as Arabs have claims; and there are no international borders, only the 1949 armistice lines with Jordan. Under 242, borders remain to be negotiated. As for checkpoints - like the security barrier and "tight Israeli control" - Palestinian Arabs precipitated these measures themselves. No terrorism and there would be no fence or tight Israeli control and few checkpoints - like before the first intifada.

Correcting Some Oslo Myths

1) In Oslo "Israeli, Palestinian and other world leaders promised that ... Palestinian sovereignty would be solidified."

No, they didn't. The 1993 Declaration of Principles and subsequent Oslo agreements outlined a process by which final status negotiations about the West Bank and Gaza Strip would be reached. The process required an end to anti-Israel terrorism and incitement and a commitment to peaceful negotiations. The PA, Fatah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and other terrorist groups, sabotaged the process from the start.

2) "The reality is that, in defiance of U.N. Security Council Resolution 242, which states that it is inadmissible to occupy land by force, Palestinian territories are still under foreign military occupation."
Wrong again. Resolution 242 (1967) does note "the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war." It also affirms the right of every state in the area "to live in peace with secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force." There were no "Palestinian territories." Jordan occupied the West Bank, Egypt controlled Gaza. Israel did not have "secure and recognized boundaries," so retention of some of those territories was possible under 242. Israel is not a "foreign" military occupier in the West Bank but, pending final negotiations, the lawful military administrator as a result of a successful war of self-defense.

Doc's Talk