Everyone’s favourite trained ape has done it again. No sooner have his cluster bombs finished liberating the Iraqi people than he’s got his pencils and crayons out to draw up the future for the Middle East, in the shape of his ‘road map’ to peace. Nice one George, thanks!
The Road Map has caused some differences in opinion amongst people committed to peace in the Middle East. Some think that ultimately, its solution of two states in the region is a step forward, even if America has to implement it. Some agree with this conclusion, but think it will never happen because America isn’t sincere about the peace. Some oppose the Road Map simply because it’s America’s idea (and that means they have to do the opposite.)
I don’t really agree with any of these positions. I think that the Road Map’s ultimate solution – a two states situation – is a good one. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to support it. It’s ‘two states’ on America’s terms – not on the terms of the Palestinian and Israeli people. In America’s ‘two states,’ the Palestinians would inevitably be the weaker party – possibly ending up not with a state but with a series of fragmented little territories broken up by Israeli military outposts. That’s not the ‘two states’ I want.
We can’t trust George Bush to bring peace to the Middle East, no matter what his Road Map says. We have to look to peace activists – particularly socialists and working class activists – in both Palestine and Israel to create a movement that will bring the extreme right-wing Israeli government to account and demand its withdrawal from the Occupied Territories and the establishment of a free, independent Palestine.
Just like with Iraq, George Bush has the agenda of American capitalism at heart, not the agenda of the people of the countries he meddles with. We should have no trust in him or his proposed ‘Road Map’ to bring peace.
·Israel out of the occupied territories!
·For a free, independent Palestine alongside Israel!
