Terrorism's body-blow at peace

摘要

As they talked on May 7th, George Bush and Ariel Sharon did not know for certain that an explosion that had torn through a snooker hall in Rishon Lezion near Tel Aviv was the work of a Palestinian suicide bomber. But had they known, the core of their conversation might not, it seems, have been very different. The president was not minded to apply pressure on Israel's prime minister. He was dismissive of Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian leader. Asked if he had urged Mr Sharon to accept Mr Arafat as the Palestinians' legitimate negotiator, Mr Bush told the press "I'm never going to tell my friend the prime minister what to do." He went on to criticise Mr Arafat for letting down his own people. So much, it seems, for the hope held by Arabs, Europeans and some Israeli peaceniks that Mr Bush was going to press Mr Sharon to deal, and thus take advantage of the relative lull in violence.