Shimon Apisdorf, at Israel Insider:
Why do I feel like we've been the way of this Road Map before, and that the fee for another trip will be paid with the blood of more innocent Jewish women and children?
Jeffrey Rubinoff, also at Israel Insider:
Israel obviously differing from all other nations in the war against terror is being coerced by those nations participating in the global war on terror into accepting a hypocritical peace initiative. Israel is being pressured to make a sacrifice which no other nation in the world would be willing to accept. Israel is being pressured to exchange her children's safety for the empty words of peace from a terrorist regime.
The news reports today have been interesting. The Israeli cabinet has voted to accept the "Road Map," by a vote of 12 to 7, with 4 abstentions. Those abstaining, among them former Prime Minister/current Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, were under intense pressure to do so, as all of them were inclined to vote against.
The point that's been downplayed all day, however, is that what the Israeli cabinet expressly agreed to accept was "the steps set out in the Roadmap," rather than the 'Map' itself. That distinction is important, because the resolution then goes on to state that Israel's reservations to the 'Map," as previously expressed to the Bush administration, "will be implemented in full during the implementation phase of the Roadmap."
Those reservations, by the way, include the two that were dismissed out of hand by the White House, i.e., a requirement that the palestinians forswear their claims to a "right of return" to Israel and the elimination of reference to the Saudi "Peace Plan," which subtlely incorporated the preservation of that claim. In fact, the cabinet resolution specifically states that, whatever ultimate solution may be found to the problem of refugees, it will under no circumstances include their "entry into or settlement within the State of Israel."
You can find the full text of the cabinet resolution, including the "14 remarks" that are attached, here.
In the meantime, Washington and the EU are making satisfied noises about Israel's decision and the PA has so far expressed guarded optimism as well. It's hard to fathom. In many respects, this "acceptance" reminds me of the palestinian "revocation," back in 1998, of the clauses in their charter that call for the destruction of Israel. In other words, window dressing designed to deflect attention to other matters. We'll see.
