Heavy criticism continues to be directed at President Arafat claiming that he cannot be trusted nor is he a viable partner for peace. President Bush has placed complete blame for the cycle of violence on Arafat and refuses to meet with him. At the same time the US administration continues to praise Sharon's efforts to achieve peace and he has had six meetings with President Bush to voice his grievances. It seems the fact that Sharon has been responsible for unimaginable atrocities dating back to the massacres of Sabra and Shatilla is of no relevance. Moreover, his right wing government recently voted that they would never accept the existence of a Palestinian state. Sharon and his government have persistently undermined US efforts to resolve the conflict, and have already expressed their intention to reject any vision the US may propose this coming week that involves the creation of a Palestinian state.

After the suicide attack on Tuesday, 18 June 2002, Sharon, wasting no time, rushed to the scene not to calm or address his people, but to rather seize the political opportunity this tragedy presented him to achieve his aims. Offering no condolences to the families affected, he allowed the media to photograph the dead that were laid out for them and sent a strong message to the US government not to overstep any boundaries when Bush offers his vision for peace. With the world shocked by the suicide attacks, Sharon is able to tighten further Israel's iron grip on Palestinian lives. Israel has vowed that it plans to reoccupy the West Bank and stay there for as long as they wish. The operation being prepared was described to be a 'crushing and decisive' response to the recent suicide attacks. One can only attempt to imagine what Sharon is plotting to do next!

Like President Bush, Sharon has his vision for peace, which is comprised of three main steps. First, completely destroying the Palestinian Authority. Second, crippling all of Arafat's credibility and power. Finally, removing any hope of co-existence and fighting until one side wipes the other out. This is a foolish agenda as the loss to both the Palestinians and the Israelis will be unfathomable and such a violent resolution cannot lead to a permanent end to the conflict. Sharon, a man of war, is determined to bring the Palestinian people to their knees and wants them to beg him to impose any plan that he considers fair. Sharon has no intention on really negotiating nor is he willing to compromise his position even if he is given the impossible guarantee of absolute security for his people!

If any hope can be offered it is that the Israeli government will act upon the realizations of the Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer, who recently acknowledged that the Israel's military actions create an environment that produces suicide bombers.

"Unfortunately, while the IDF is carrying out these necessary actions, the operations themselves become a hothouse that produces more and more new suicide bombers."

The cycle of violence will not end by causing greater loss on one side than the other as Sharon has deluded himself to believe, but by Israel's complete withdrawal from Palestinian territories and alleviation of daily hardships suffered by Palestinians. At the same time, there is an immediate need for Palestinians to pressure suicide bombers to halt the attacks, inorder not to give Sharon a pretext that legitimizes his evil aims.