Transcript
Martin Indyk: I thought what would be most useful is I would talk for a few minutes about Israel and Prime Minister Sharon's situation and what I think he's up to. Shibley's going to talk about the Palestinians and Abu Mazen. And we'll both make some concluding comments about Bush and the United States.
I thought it was important that we focus on these three gentlemen, Sharon, Abu Mazen, and George Bush because you've all heard that this an historic moment. And indeed it is. But it's a historic moment because of the leadership that's being shown here. Without it, I don't think we'd be at this juncture. And that's where I want to start with Ariel Sharon, because this wouldn't be happening without his decision to take this unilateral move.
The settlers in Gaza, in particular, and in the West Bank more generally, don't understand it. They do not understand how a man who had been their strongest promoter over so many years, decades, should now as it were turn on them in a step that from their point of view is giving up parts of the lands of Israel for nothing in return. And many others don't understand either how this man who so long portrayed as a general and a warrior, and an advocate of settlement in all of the land of Israel, now as the first prime minister of Israel to evacuate settlements from what is seen as the land of Israel.
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