06-20-2004, 05:47 AM
<b>"The intifada is over according to Krauthammer"</b>
<b>Calmer times in Israel? </b>:Charles Krauthammer
June 18, 2004
WASHINGTON -- While no one was looking, something historic has happened in the Middle East. The Palestinian intifada is over, and the Palestinians have lost.
For Israel, the victory is bitter. The last four years of terrorism have killed almost 1,000 Israelis and maimed thousands of others. But Israel has won strategically. The intent of the intifada was to demoralize Israel, destroy its economy, bring it to its knees and thus force it to withdraw and surrender to Palestinian demands, just as Israel withdrew in defeat from southern Lebanon in May 2000.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Â Â Â First, Israel targeted terrorist leaders -- attacks so hypocritically denounced by Westerners who, at the same time, cheer the hunt for, and demand the head of, Osama bin Laden. The top echelon of Hamas and other terror groups has been either arrested, killed, or driven underground. The others are now so afraid of Israeli precision and intelligence -- the last Hamas operative to be killed by missile was riding a motorcycle -- that they are forced to devote much of their time and energy to self-protection and concealment.
   Second, the fence. Only about a quarter of the separation fence has been built, but its effect is unmistakable. The northern part is already complete, and attacks into northern Israel have dwindled to almost nothing.
   This success does not just save innocent lives. It changes the strategic equation of the whole conflict. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
........
But now Saudi Arabia is busy
<b>Calmer times in Israel? </b>:Charles Krauthammer
June 18, 2004
WASHINGTON -- While no one was looking, something historic has happened in the Middle East. The Palestinian intifada is over, and the Palestinians have lost.
For Israel, the victory is bitter. The last four years of terrorism have killed almost 1,000 Israelis and maimed thousands of others. But Israel has won strategically. The intent of the intifada was to demoralize Israel, destroy its economy, bring it to its knees and thus force it to withdraw and surrender to Palestinian demands, just as Israel withdrew in defeat from southern Lebanon in May 2000.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Â Â Â First, Israel targeted terrorist leaders -- attacks so hypocritically denounced by Westerners who, at the same time, cheer the hunt for, and demand the head of, Osama bin Laden. The top echelon of Hamas and other terror groups has been either arrested, killed, or driven underground. The others are now so afraid of Israeli precision and intelligence -- the last Hamas operative to be killed by missile was riding a motorcycle -- that they are forced to devote much of their time and energy to self-protection and concealment.
   Second, the fence. Only about a quarter of the separation fence has been built, but its effect is unmistakable. The northern part is already complete, and attacks into northern Israel have dwindled to almost nothing.
   This success does not just save innocent lives. It changes the strategic equation of the whole conflict. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
........
But now Saudi Arabia is busy