Abracadabrah<br><br><i> I create as I speak</i>: Apparently We Weren't The Only Ones Who Found Condi Tone Deaf

Sunday, August 21, 2005

Apparently We Weren't The Only Ones Who Found Condi Tone Deaf

Last Wednesday, the first day of forcible expulsions from Gaza, I suggested that Condi's tone in a speech that day stating that Gaza was just the beginning of the Israeli withdrawals was rather aggressive and tone deaf.

I usually like Condoleeza Rice. But I've got to say, on a day like today, day 4 of the Disengagement, and before the Palestinians have done the first thing to rein in the terrorism that is quite likely to erupt in the wake of the Jewish departure from Gaza, this strikes me as extremely tone deaf.

"Everyone empathizes with what the Israelis are facing,'' she said, but added, "It cannot be Gaza only.''

Looks like we weren't the only ones who thought so. According to Debka:

In notes to US president Bush and Israeli PM Sharon over the weekend, the king [of Jordan] warned that any further steps, including Israeli withdrawals from West Bank territory, would be deemed violations of the 1995 Jordanian-Israeli peace treaty - if coordinated only with Washington and the Palestinians. He stressed Jordan would not put up with a Israel-Palestinian settlement that failed to address Jordan’s sovereignty, its interests in the Jordan river basin and the border crossings and in shared strategic issues, such as security and water resources.
DEBKAfile adds: the Jordanian warning was prompted by deep concern over the side-effects of the expulsion of Israeli communities from the Gaza Strip and northern Samaria. Amman fears their ripple effect next door to the kingdom on the West Bank. In particular -

1. The king was disconcerted by the words of US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice last week, when she said: Everyone empathizes with what the Israelis are facing, but it cannot be Gaza only. This is taken in Amman to mean that Washington will squeeze Israel hard to pursue further withdrawals in favor of the Palestinians while leaving Jordan out of the picture.

Debka is also reporting that Sharon gave a speech today to the Gaza Strip evacuation troops in which he stated that further disengagement will only take place after Palestinians have fully eradicated terrorism. Some more detail of his speech here in the Jerusalem Post.

Bully for Sharon. I hope it proves true.