IMRA'S WEEKLY COMMENTARY ON ISRAEL NATIONAL RADIO - 28 August 2003

Aaron Lerner Date: 28 August 2003

Thursday May 23, 2002 is a day that could have easily lived in infamy.

That morning tens of thousands of Israelis could have been incinerated when
a bomb attached to a tanker truck blew up. The tanker truck had just pulled
into Israel's largest gas (and other fuel) depot, the Pi Glilot fuel depot,
located in the densely-populated Tel-Aviv metropolitan area, close to three
major highways and surrounded by residential areas.

"A huge disaster has been prevented," said Yossi Sedbon, the Tel Aviv police
chief, noting that at the depot, dozens of tanker trucks stand close to each
other. "An explosion in such a sensitive place with such a huge store of
fuel would cause much more significant damage than the explosion of a single
tanker," Sedbon said.

And what did Israel do in response to this failed "mega attack" carried out
by Yasser Arafat's Fatah?

Nothing.

Nothing but warn that if the mega attack had succeeded in incinerating tens
of thousands of Israelis that Israel would have acted to put an end to the
Oslo farce.

So the terror continued.

This Thursday afternoon an improved Qassam rocket fell a few hundred meters
from the Eilat Ashkelon Pipeline Co. Ltd. (EAPC) Ashkelon facility. A
facility with hundreds of tons of gas and gasoline.

The improved rockets were thanks to the "hudna" that gave the Palestinians
the chance to work on their rockets without interference.

Are we going to wait for a successful mega attack or can the Sharon
government act now before thousands die?

" . . . it is in Israel's interest for Palestinians to govern themselves, in
a state that is viable, peaceful, democratic, and committed to fighting
terror." Condoleezza Rice Assistant to the President for National Security
proclaimed this week.

" viable, peaceful, democratic, and committed to fighting terror"? If
elephants could fly.

And Dumbo only flew in the movies.

It is time to recognize that PA photo opportunities aside, the roadmap is a
nonstarter, a Palestinian state is a nonstarter, international forces that
will shield the terrorists from Israeli security operations is a nonstarter.

And all the best (and worse) intentions in the world can't change that
reality.

The only question is if the Sharon Administration acts now to put an end to
this farce or if we will be forced to pay a heavy price for postponing the
inevitable.

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730
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