Read again. I never said apartheid; I made a snide comment about citizenship, or lack thereof. In my view the citizenship status of the residents of the occupied territories is a political issue, not a racial one.
And here we are completely in agreement. And that was exactly my point - I pointed out this fact to someone else who did use the term apartheid, implicitly saying that (s)he did accuse Israel of treating the issue as an ethnic one (it can’t be racial in any case… both nations are 99% caucasian). So what was the point of your little snipe there?
IOW, I still think your pot-shot was uncalled for, but hey, it’s Friday, I’ve started my weekend and you’re almost there… Let it ride… 
Dani
Mr Moto - what EXACTLY is wrong or inaccurate in the quoted piece ? I seems to me that eveything in the Annan quote is factually correct and sincere.
In Bushes speech:
“During the period of transition that is ahead, we urge all in the region and throughout the world to join in helping make progress toward these goals and toward the ultimate goal of peace.”
We will see if Bush includes America in that sentiment…
Kofi says something, Bush says nothing. Kofi has to deal with these counties and groups evey day. Bush doesnt. Its a no brainer from where im sitting.
So no. I dont agree that Annan’s statement warrents a "fuck you ".
Sin
Maybe the crap about praising one terrorist nation while damning another?
Maybe if they were allowed to have elections, they could have elected someone who wasn’t a terrorist. They aren’t allowed to hold elections, or even call themselves citizens of any country. You try that on for awhile.
Arabs might be considered white according to the US census, but it’s clear that preferential treatment is given to Israel because the Jews are “more white” than Arabs. At any rate it’s ethnicist, and isn’t that just as bad?
Israel has been a democratic state since its creation, and is the only democratic state within the Middle East.
Apartheid my ass.
The refernce to apartheid generally doesn’t refer to Israeli arab citizens, but to the occupied territories, and their similarity with south african Bantoustans.
Here are some more appropriate words from the Australian PM
Here’s my eulogy: Arafat, a man who failed when it mattered.
I suppose the Lacedonians have a more spartan one.
Iran was a democratic state until the US helped impose the Shah by military coup.
Seeing how hard a time Sharon currently has trying to remove illegal settlements, how the hell was Barak going to deliver what he promised? The land Israel wanted to hold onto in that agreement was 60% of the arable land in the area and control of the water supplies. What good would it have done for the Palestinians to accept the deal if the land they got was useless?
Well, smart ass, Iran isn’t considered part of the Middle East.
What good did it do them to refuse?
What good would it have done to accept?
I don’t think calling the second intifada was a good idea, though. Hopefully the PA under a new leader can bring peace to the area.
heh…
How about a chance for peace. 90% of what he demanded – even if it only contained 40% of the arable land (how does this square with the 90%?). Much of current Israel was unarable in 1948. Many countries in the middle east have insufficient water sources.
The deal offered would remove a huge degree of self sufficiency from a Palestinian state, and most importantly, controlled water supplies. It woul be impossible for irrigation projects to proceed without access to this land.
And the deal would have added another to that list.
For want of perfect he opted for squalor. Once they had a state they could have bargained for water resource. Appealed to the UN and world opinion and common interests with the Israelis in seeing a prosperous region. They could have built a desalination plant in Gaza, expensive sure - but with the world watching I’m sure it could have been possible. Also it’s very possible there’s oil under the west bank. Etc. etc. They would have had many options. Now they have next to none.
Wow…what did Donald Regan do?
Spilled the beans about Nancy Reagan’s astrology readings, for one thing.
Still, can’t be too upset at a man who served honorably his government, then retired to paint landscapes.
He will be missed. 
WTF? Man, it’s amazing how you can be so sure when you know so little of what you’re talking about. Iran most certainly is part of the Middle East.
You’re probably thinking that Iran is not an Arab nation, which is true. But the Middle East and Arab nations are not interchangable terms.
In your head, perhaps. the rest of us who don’t talk out of our arses think differently.
Rune, not for want of perfection, for want of survival. and given the fact that the UN is routinely ignored by Israel, what makes you thing they’d suddenly start listening?
Uh… what?
Turkey and North Africa are questionable, as are the more southerly former Soviet republics.
Iran is about as Middle Eastern as you can get. Smart Ass.
Noone Special, my point was that a blanket grant of citizenship to the (currently stateless) residents of the occupied territories might go some way toward defusing much of their hostility. Barak considered it; Sharon laughed it off.