Vision?
Reader comment on item: Throwing out the [Arab-Israeli] Rulebook

Submitted by Julian Wasserman (Israel), Jun 19, 2003 at 13:35

Is President Bush's "vision" of June 24, 2002 and after meant to have roots in the Jewish Biblical Prophets whose exceptional relationship with the Jewish God may have also involved understanding the consequences of their prophesy? The core issue is the religious-historical claims between two peoples but has President Bush decided he is a latter day prophetic instrument? I suggest that clergy address this publicly either separately or as an adjunct to negotiations since it is not just a political issue. The Road Map, largely his construction, is a confused, intricate web ignoring the essential struggle between two religious-historical heritages even though he mentioned the Holy Land in his Akaba speech. Does he have a "vision", for example, for the division to other than Israeli sovereignty of historic Jerusalem where, as a Jew, I am in my ancestral home? In any case a decision by parties outside of the conflicting parties is an arrogant use of power.

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