"Ariel Sharon is a sissy"

[sushi]

"Sharon's plan to pull out of Gaza and the northern West Bank next year enjoys wide public support in Israel, but a determined minority of extremists could yet scupper it."

"Israeli Public Security Minister Tzachi Hanegbi warns they may attempt to destroy the Al-Aqsa Mosque, a Muslim shrine on Jerusalem's Temple Mount, perhaps by crashing a bomb-packed aeroplane into it."

"Fear of a war between brothers has deterred previous Israeli governments from removing even the tiniest, most troublesome settlements...Could the Gaza withdrawal be even more traumatic?"

"One-fifth of the soldiers in Israeli combat units are either highly religious or from settler families. Would they obey orders to evict Jews? Other settlers view civil disobedience, and even mutiny, as legitimate means to avoid surrendering land they consider holy."

http://www.economist.com/world/africa/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3092942

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Only a small fraction (the article says 20 to 25,000) of the settlers are extremists, but it only takes a few people to create another big problem for Israel.

[brainshrub]

1. Perhaps this should be in the I/P rooom?

[sushi]

2. I don't know what happened

I thought, I was sure, that's where I put it. How do I move it?

And another thing - I can't get the whole link on the page. I did type the whole link but it appears with ... at the end.

I'll try again:

http://www.economist.com/world/africa/
displayStory.cfm?story_id=3092942

[Lithos]

4. It was moved...

Try using this link


While the Economist is a bit conservative, they do try to present a professional news magazine with a focus towards the world. One of the few places to pick up detailed insight into otherwise ignored events.

[BayouBengal07]

3. Don't talk too soon...

"One-fifth of the soldiers in Israeli combat units are either highly religious or from settler families. Would they obey orders to evict Jews?"

Those soldiers would be comforted to know that Bush and Sharon, without and Palestinian input, agreed that Israel could permanently (and illegalliy) occupy certain settlements (I can't remember the names, I'm not good with Hebrew) if the Gaza pullout went as scheduled.