While Debka sometimes digs out some interesting facts, one has to be careful...

It starts with their assertion of a combination of US anti-Al Qaeda efforts and Sharon's attacks. There is no connection, aside from they happened at the same time. If anything, Sharon's attacks fouled US plans to eliminate Saddam.

This 20 month "intafada" that they talk about, supposedly under Arafat's control, doesn't exist. Arafat rejected Barak's offer, for reasons which we've seen set out pretty clearly. The suicide bomb attacks bean afterwards, and Sharon's attacks on the PA followed those.

There is no PIJ, PFLP, Hamas, Hezbollah, Fatah co-ordination. While there may be loose contacts, these are entirely separate groups, and Arafat has no control, and lives pretty much at their tolerance. This "alliance" is a rationalization presented by Sharon to justify his attacks on the PA, to eliminate it as a psuedo-governmental body.

The plain fact is Sharon does not want peace, he wants the West Bank and Gaza. Sharon has offered no final plan, only continuing "negotiations" during which Israel will occupy more Palestinian land. The new settlements which were begun during his recent seige have not been reported on in the US.

The only thing to watch for is how Sharon will de-rail the summer US/EU/Russia/UN summit. I don't know if he will attack Bush Jr, Powell, or if there will be another military assault.

My congratulations to the brilliant statesmen whose tremendous efforts have bought everyone a little time and a little wiggle room, but the bottom line is Sharon has some 200 nuclear weapons and he wants the Palestinians' lands.

Unemployment is finally being reflected in the statistics, and while oil will be quiet for a while, I think that Sharon is going to close off any diplomatic efforts, leaving a trade embargo as the only non-military method available.

ep