a blunt political instrument to serve the PLO's diplomatic and military agenda against Israel. |
Any shift in deployment of Israeli forces is largely dependent on the security situation on the ground, ... More importantly, a guarantee by the Palestinians to take responsibility for areas that Israel might eventually vacate -- that's part of the discussions we have to have. |
I think Israelis felt that by completing the withdrawal from Gaza, they had created an opportunity for peace for the Palestinians to seize upon. And what they saw was synagogues in flames, and that's something with a very ominous tone for the success of any future negotiations. |
I think today's the day of tremendous national anguish. Many people thought this whole process would polarize Israeli society because that seemed to be the environment here leading up to the national disengagement effort. |
If the Palestinian Authority continues to support violence, it is important that Israel and the international community make it clear they cannot advance their political agenda, their political goals, ... Violence will bring about a reversal of Palestinian goals, not an advance. |
Israel expects that the Palestinian Authority will fulfill its road map commitments and once and for all dismantle and disarm the terrorist groups that are in its areas of jurisdiction. |
Israel has been willing to work with the Jordanian-Egyptian initiative to bring the current round of Palestinian violence against Israeli civilians to an end. Unfortunately, this morning we have seen the response from the Palestinian side to the Jordanian-Egyptian initiative. The murder of an innocent Israeli civilian by Palestinian terrorists, |
Israel is left with no choice but to thwart such attacks in order to protect its civilians and keep its population safe, |
it was pretty clear he didn't think he could get a quid pro quo from the Palestinians. He did think, however, that he could get one from the United States. |
It's clear that when young men strap dynamite to themselves and go into a crowded Israeli cafe, we are talking about terrorism, plain and simple. |
It's too early to say what will be the nature of that response, ... What's clear to us though is that the message that went to the Palestinian organizations [from Palestinian Authority leader Yasser Arafat] was not ... a clear-cut condemnation of terrorism. |
Much of the U.S.-Israel strategic relationship is classified, particularly in the area of intelligence sharing. There are two direct consequences from this situation. First, most aspects of U.S.-Israel defense ties are decided on the basis of the professional security considerations of those involved. Lobbying efforts in Congress cannot force a U.S. security agency to work with Israel. |
Prime Minister Sharon has been absolutely clear about his goals. He wants to reach limited arrangements, pragmatic arrangements with the Palestinian Authority, but there cannot be peace with terrorism. |
Right now the evidence is not very promising. |
Right now, Israelis want a security process rather than a peace process. |