From the Editor

Shimon Says...and Says...

Reports continue to circulate that Shimon Peres may replace Ezer Weizmann as Israel's President. There could be no more fitting candidate to preside over the state's final ruin than one of the most prominent architects of that ruin. Furthermore, no one better typifies the stupidity, self-importance and detachment from reality of Israel's political elite--and surely no one provides the bonus of rivaling Jackie Mason (even if in this case the humor is unconscious) as a source of comic material.

Thanks to Roger Gerber for the following excerpts--think of the sappy gems we have in store if Peres becomes President!--the first six from the Jerusalem Post's interview of Shimon-the-Great-Thinker on May 4 (Features section), the last four from Peres's article "Why We Need a Palestinian State" published in Le Monde nine months earlier:

"The world went from a world of land to a world of science, so borders lost their importance, national economies lost their significance and every individual with Internet or a computer became automatically part of the globe."

"[This generation] doesn't understand why they should be stopped at borders, why they should kill or be killed."

"The dream permits us to change reality, but the creation of reality is not like a dream."

"The only thing I believe, you see, is that we had a dream and we thought the dream would never have a reality. Now we have a reality and we have the right to dream again -- to create a different reality."

"I think that science and ethics are inseparable in the long run, because you cannot combine science and cheating, you cannot lie scientifically and don't have scientific lies..."

"You cannot have science without scientists, and scientists will not come to raise their children in a country which is financially corrupt or environmentally polluted or governmentally malicious."

"Peace is not the pursuit of war by other means. Peace consists of putting an end to the red ink of past history and starting anew in a different color."

"In fact, for Israel to remain a Jewish state, both morally and demographically, it needs a Palestinian state."

"In these days borders between states have lost much of their value. A border cannot protect us from economic flows because the economy is now global, founded on a science and technology devoid of all national character. Markets are more important than states..."

"After these fifty years, it is time for us to put right the mistake we have made: we have not taken into account the existence of another people. And since we live beside this people, it is in our own best interests to complete the historic revolution which we have begun: to see in our neighbors--our good neighbors--the opportunity to forge new relations and bring enduring peace to the Middle East, for the good of the whole world."

Peace Overtures from Peres's "Good Neighbors"

PA cabinet minister Faisal al-Husseini has announced that the Palestinian Authority will declare sovereignty on all its lands according to UN Resolution 242 on September 13. The next day, Palestinians living in camps and exile will march in the direction of the cities and villages the occupation forced them to leave. Husseini explains that 93% of the land of Palestine belonged to the Palestinians prior to the 1947 partition decision and that 75% of West Jerusalem property belonged to the Palestinians whom Israel displaced.

Husseini is serious about the PA's intention to stake its claim to western Jerusalem. In an interview with the London-based Arab newspaper Al Hayat last September, he was asked about the PA's negotiating strategy regarding Jerusalem; he replied, "We are not ready to give up any of our rights in West Jerusalem, let alone East Jersualem. We have property there, as well as holy places and history." The interviewer asked, "Are you using West Jerusalem as a bargaining chip?" Husseini: "It is not a bargaining chip, but rather part of our rights. It is non-negotiable"

In his most recent threat ,Husseini notes that the planned Palestinian march implies a violent confrontation between Palestinians and Israelis who might try to stand up to the marches. "The Palestinians will be prepared for a confrontation. If the Israelis intercept the marches or cut the roads, the Palestinians will cut the roads connecting Israel to the Jewish settlements in the Palestinian areas, no matter what happens."

Outpost               - 2 -               May 2000