Gulf News says: Jackboot diplomacy

With its usual contemptuous disregard for international territory, Israel has entered the northern West Bank town of Tulkarem and taken it over. An Israeli brigade commander has been reported as saying the troops would stay there for several days. Worse, that there could be other townships similarly taken over, besides the surrounding of the refugee camps outside Tulkarem and the adjacent Nur Shams. The "justification" given for the invasion – for it amounts to nothing less – is retaliation for the shooting in Hadeera by alleged members of the Al Aqsa Brigades. And so another round of revenge and retaliation continues, with neither side any nearer to resolving the dilemma.

Hardly surprising, when Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon refers to President Yasser Arafat as "his old nemesis, a bitter enemy and an unrepenting terrorist." With such ingrained animosity, there is no possibility of Sharon ever agreeing to a cessation of hostilities towards Arafat, let alone treating him with the respect he deserves as leader of the Palestinian Authority. On the contrary, Sharon has instructed the Israeli army to make life as difficult as possible for Arafat, restricting his movements, such as they are, to the compound in which he dwells. Tanks are now some few metres away from the front entrance of his house, yet Sharon expects Arafat to "crack down hard" on those militants who are still seeking to end by violent means, the illegal occupation by Israel of Palestinian land.

The takeover of Tulkarem is the most audacious act that Israel has committed in the 16 months since the resurrection of the intifada. Yet there has been no immediate burst of outrage from America, the EU or even the UN. Their silence is tantamount to approval and authorisation. Is it any wonder, then, that Israel is able to pursue its aims, for it remains indifferent to international condemnation.