Zvi Bar'el (Ha'aretz): Sharon's two-headed calf

From Ha'aretz (Jerusalem)
Dated Sunday December 21

Sharon's two-headed calf
By Zvi Bar'el

The experiment that took place at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya succeeded beyond expectations: A two-headed calf was born. A curiosity, beyond any doubt. But what does one do with it?
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon did indeed juxtapose the words "evacuate" and "settlements" - and it makes no difference whether he called the evacuation "relocation," "disengagement" or simply removal. There is also no real significance to the fact that he defined this evacuation as security-related, because even the movement of a single rusty trash can in the settlements is political. Everything done on that side of the border, including security, is political. But because everything is political, it is also theoretical.
Sharon laid down two conditions for this evacuation: It will take place only if, after a certain trial period, it becomes clear that the Palestinians are dragging their feet and not advancing the road map; or, alternatively, it will take place earlier, as part of the process of advancing the road map, if the Palestinians demonstrate a desire to advance it.
It is already possible to predict that the first condition of Sharon's scenario is the one that will materialize . . . .
Thus . . . it is already possible to determine that the trial period is unnecessary. So if these are really steps to improve our security, why not begin the evacuation today? And if in any event Sharon has declared that the disengagement program will not hinder implementation of the road map, why wait? Why couldn't Sharon have bestirred himself to set an exact date and to delineate exact disengagement lines, as he did with the separation fence?

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