The Daily Star,
Lebanon
Advice for Condi: 'At Least Feign Even-Handedness'
EDITORIAL
October 5, 2006
Lebanon - The Daily Star - Original
Article (English) 
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's current mission in the
Middle East faces a number of difficult hurdles that are indigenous to the
region, but the most daunting obstacle is one of her own government's making.
The crux of the matter is that the secretary of state cannot hope to revive the
Arab-Israeli peace process unless and until she at least feigns evenhandedness.
As the Jewish state's most ardent advocate, Washington's only hope of achieving
credibility in the Arab world is to examine Israeli actions in an unbiased
fashion and to condemn those that are not conducive to building the confidence
and trust that are so badly needed.
There is no shortage of issues on which Rice could focus on
without contradicting existing American policy. Provocative Israeli policies
like settlement expansion and assassination, for example, are two areas in
which she could help convince Arabs in general, and Palestinians in particular,
of America's good faith. To do so, however, Rice needs to take a stand.
It is rare for American officials to criticize Israeli actions publicly,
which is precisely why a forthright American message is so necessary at this
juncture. The Arabs need to feel that the would-be mediator in any future
negotiations is capable of straight talk when it comes to their Israeli charges'
more egregious activities. And the Israelis need to understand that there are
limits to how far they can go without incurring American displeasure.
Rice and her colleagues have not been reticent to condemn
immoderate positions held by the current Palestinian Cabinet. Without a similar
willingness to acknowledge the extremist and unhelpful nature of certain
Israeli policies, however, American words will continue to ring hollow among
Arab audiences. That can only make Rice's attempts to foster a resumption of
dialogue look something less than genuine.
VIDEO FROM LEBANON: SHIITE MUFTI
CRITICIZES HEZBULLAH DUE TO WAR
LBC TV, LEBANON: Excerpts from two interviews with Shiite Mufti of Tyre Sheik Ali Al-Amin, August 26, September 5, 00:07:24, Via MEMRI
"The destruction caused to us was greater than that caused to our enemy. We lost more lives than the enemy, even though I don't believe the purpose of war is to take lives. One would expect a war to have greater goals."
Shiite Mufti of Tyre Sheik Ali Al-Amin
