[spectre] Middle East primer

[JSalloum@aol.com]

The Middle East Research and Information Project (MERIP) has updated a
special primer on the ongoing crisis in Israel-Palestine, to provide
historical context for current events and offer answers for some recurring
questions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. MERIP encourages
distribution of the primer for educational purposes. Below please find an
excerpt and a link to the full version on MERIP's website.

The primer will be updated periodically to keep pace with events. The summer
issue of Middle East Report (MER 223) will focus exclusively on the
fast-developing crisis, with a special section on the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict in the US arena. To order individual copies or subscribe to Middle
East Report, please visit MERIP's website (www.merip.org) or write
Subscriber Services at merip@nb.net.

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CRISIS IN ISRAEL-PALESTINE

Updated on April 12, 2002

On April 4, George W. Bush dispatched Secretary of State Colin Powell to
Israel-Palestine to attempt to stop the "storm of violence" that has kept
the Middle East on American front pages throughout the spring of 2002.
Israel's invasions of Palestinian areas, following a spate of suicide
bombings in Israel, marked a dangerous escalation of what had been a war of
attrition, itself an escalation from the Palestinian popular uprising
against the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Since
September 28, 2000, over 1,400 Palestinians and nearly 450 Israelis have
been killed. What is the history of the conflict over Palestine? Is Israeli
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon likely to pursue a comprehensive peace with the
Palestinians, even if he calls off the present "state of war"? Is Israel
right to blame Arafat for the violence? What have international
investigations said about Israel's military response to the uprising? Why
has Bush called upon Israel to remove Jewish settlements from the West Bank
and Gaza? Has the US been an "honest broker" in the conflict?

Read the full version of the primer online at:
http://www.merip.org/new_uprising_primer/primer_all_text.html




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