Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salaam Fayad predicts that a final peace agreement will not be signed by the end of 2008, Israel Radio reported on Friday.
Speaking during a visit in Texas, Fayad said that the peace talks were not advancing at the necessary pace, and this was mainly due to Israel's negligence in dismantling illegal settlements and outposts in the West Bank.
The PA prime minister also criticized Israeli military action in the West Bank, saying that IDF operations harm the PA's standing and sabotage Palestinians' efforts to enforce law and order in their territory.
Yeah. Right. And no, I'm not saying that peace is bad. Real peace is good. "Peace agreements" that are long on concessions to terrorists and short on actual peace and security are bad. Bad for Israel and bad for the prospects of real peace. And since Fayad's organization has little power and even less good faith, the slower the pace of these so-called negotiations, the better. Bush and Rice will leave Washington without their Nobel prize and the frenzy to push Israel into a suicidal "peace agreement" will hopefully subside until the next lame duck president gets the itch ... or the Democrats take the White House, whichever comes sooner.
Shabbat Shalom.
