Let's all not get too excited in thinking that Sharon has finally come to his senses about either releasing terrorists or handing over control of towns to them. He does things for the most part for public relations and diplomatic purposes. Trust me, he will release those terrorists post haste as soon as the US puts the squeeze on him. Then he will publicly announce that Abbas/Mazen has been doing a most wonderful job as a "peace" partner.

Let's accept that eventually these 400 will be released, because if Sharon was willing to release them before, the reason he's giving now will eventually give way to political expediency, and Sharon will "have to help" Abu Mazen, who's unwilling even to help himself. Don't flame me for the upcoming suggestion, it's based on this "eventual release" assumption which I doubt any of you can dispute if you examine Sharon's modus operandi. Here's the plan - a prisoner exchange. The US can score points in the Arab world by offering Pollard in exchange for the amnesty of these 400. Bush will come out as a hero to the Arabs, having re-established Arab honor. (In truth, little will be given up as obviously the deterrent message has been delivered, and after 20 nothing Pollard knew is likely to be of use). Bush will eat chumus at the Mukatta, and will be given a ring of keys from Palestinians as a gift of gratitude. And that's not all. Bush willl be extolled in the European capitals and press for his to-be-written "forgive and forget" speech, insisting that that's what Israelis should do for the sake of peace. Palestinians, meanwhile, will interpret the speech as having forgiven their "natural" and "righteous rage", and in celebration will launch 5 Kassams against Sderot. Peres and Labor will claim that it was their idea in the first place, that they always supported Pollard at least as much as Abu Mazen, and will claim the move will deepen ties between Palestinians, Israelis and Americans in this "New Middle East". The French will invite Bush for dinner, and Pope Benedict will invite him for lunch. The French will toast Bush's "humanitarianism", the Pope his "Christian values" of turning the other cheek. Tony Blair will cash in some political chips and get a photo-op with Bush, in the hope that some of the holiness will rub off. Everybody will congratulate themselves, repeating the thought that after all, Begin was once a "terrorist" to the British, so the phrase really has no meaning anyway - everybody is just one great big happy family of freedom fighters. Bush will tell Americans that releasing Pollard was "an American interest", and nobody will care, really. Bush will be backslapped by Fareed Zukaria and Thomas Friedman, and will be the subject of reassessments in the Village Voice and Guardian newspapers. The morally confused loudmouth masses (those who use volume to compensate for their lack of common sense and morals) will be duly impressed. Jimmy Carter will profess to always having known that Bush had greatness in him. Pollard will have been ransomed. We'll shake our heads at the charade, but Pollard will finally be free.

Israel has released THOUSANDS of terrorists from jail, enabling their return to jihad. At the same time, in a cruel betrayal and abandonment, Israel has not secured the release of the hundreds of Israel's POW/MIAs. The betrayal and abandonment of Pollard also continues. Savage PLO terrorists were imported into Israel through Oslo to committ mass murder and terrorism. THAT IS WHAT TERRORISTS DO. Every single one of the PA's security services are involved in terrorist attacks against Israel. The PLO/Palestinian Authority terrorist organization are never ever going to dismantle terrorist organizations or disarm terrorists. The PLO/PA are terrorists. From a legal standpoint, this obviously makes Oslo, all of the so-called "peace" agreements and the Road Map NULL AND VOID.

Why do we all have to call eachother rerrorists, this mentalily will lead us to no where but distruction, both sides israeli and palestinian, lets start to think in a positive prespective, lets try to solve the problems and remove the obsticles for a better future, if we dont think of a way to cooperate to end the suffering. oh well god help us all..

500 terrorists released, no weapons siezed and more arms imported through smuggling tunnels. Abbas and Hamas have common terms: unbelievable, untrustworthy and violent. Other than that you can negotiate with them.

Fadi, I acknowledge the RIGHT of a Palestinian state to exist. Do you acknowledge the RIGHT of a Jewish state to exist?

Shortly after Oslo, on Jordanian TV, Arafat explained the PLO strategy of the "peace process": "Since we cannot defeat Israel in war, we do this in stages. We take any and every territory we can of Palestine, and establish sovereignty there, and we use it as a springboard to take more. When the time comes, WE CAN GET THE ARAB NATIONS TO JOIN US FOR THE FINAL BLOW AGAINST ISRAEL." The 22 HUGE oil-wealthy Arab states cover over six million square miles, over ten percent of the land surface of earth. TINY Israel is only one tenth of one percent of the Middle East - not enough room for Jews. Arabs were given 80% of Palestine in 1922, becoming Jordan, giving the Muslims their Arab Palestinian state. It was ethnically cleansed of Jews. This area of Palestine was recognized, along with present-day Israel, including Judea-Samaria (West Bank) and Gaza, as the Jewish homeland, by the League of Nations and Article 80 of the UN Charter. The Islamofascist goal remains: the destruction of Israel and genocide of Jews.