Top Ten for 2004 item Number Three may have been somewhat optimistic. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is carrying on in the finest traditions of Yasser Arafat, giving tacit approval to terrorist attacks while mouthing platitudes about peace. Israel's patience is justifiably non-existent.
The peace appeal from the PLO's central committee, led by Mr. Abbas, was its clearest call yet for an end to the Palestinian militarized uprising, which has lasted four years. But a wave of violence during the weekend raised doubts about whether the policy could be enforced...
"Despite the change in the Palestinian leadership, we note that those at the top have not begun any action whatsoever to halt the terrorism," Mr. Sharon told his Cabinet at a regular weekly meeting. "This situation cannot continue"...
Even dovish members of Mr. Sharon's new Cabinet sounded pessimistic about Mr. Abbas. Haim Ramon, a minister from the Labor Party, maintained that the new Palestinian leader had the ability to operate against militants in the Gaza Strip, but questioned his will.
"If they won't act, then we will return to the days of Arafat," he said. "That is the test, and he won't get even one second of grace."
I suppose there's room for hope but I won't hold my breath.
The recent violence has disappointed many Israelis, but others think the optimism that followed Mr. Abbas' election a week ago was exaggerated.
"Anybody who is surprised was looking at the situation in a naive way. Arafat's legacy of violence is extremely strong. It will be a long process" to undo, said Gerald Steinberg, a military expert at Bar-Ilan University near Tel Aviv.
Confronting Palestinian militants "will be a difficult struggle. The question isn't 'Why hasn't it happened yet?' It's whether it will happen at all," he said.
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