Back To Bloodshed: Sharon's Game

He fervently believes any attack on Israel must be avenged swiftly. What does that strategy mean for Bush?

In the Middle East, where hatreds are measured in generations and a long weekend of peace counts as a triumph, the gap between dreams and reality is deep. In the 10 days following a historic meeting at the Jordanian town of Aqaba among President George W. Bush, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas--a meeting full of promise and fine words--five Israeli soldiers and 18 civilians were killed by Palestinian gunmen and suicide bombers, and 23 Palestinians were killed by Israeli missile attacks designed to eradicate the leadership of the terrorist group Hamas. Of the Palestinians killed,...

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