Editorial (Times-UK) - * The forced withdrawal of more than 8,000 Jewish settlers from the Gaza Strip this week will not, on its own, guarantee a better future for that troubled region. Ariel Sharon, Israel's prime minister, ordered the disengagement without extracting concessions from the Palestinians. There is no guarantee that the intifada, led by groups such as Hamas, will not resume with a new intensity. * The current policy of disengagement is driven by pragmatism. Had more Israelis heeded the call to settle in Gaza, withdrawal would be a nightmare; 8,000 settlers can be forced from their homes, 100,000 probably could not. Disengagement from the West Bank, where there are 250,000 Jewish settlers, is not on the agenda. * Yet Mr. Sharon has made a gesture. He has acted with a boldness that most of his predecessors would not have contemplated, let alone pushed through. Such boldness deserves reward. If it is not to be an empty gesture, several things have to happen. The 1.3m Palestinians squeezed into this tiny strip have to be persuaded to choose peace. If the gesture is not to blow up in Mr. Sharon's face, Gaza must not now be used as a base from which to attack Israel.
2005-08-15 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive