An Alternate Witness

How ironic to hear Condoleeza Rice say that she is "very concerned" about the deteriorating living conditions in the Palestinian Territories, since her administration was the primary mover in causing the blockade of those territories!

It's sure noble of her to say that the US will "redouble efforts to improve living conditions" of the Palestinian people. Perhaps she should just let the democratically elected government of the Palestinian Territories, Hamas, do exactly what they promised to do in their election campaign, which was as successful as it was precisely because municipal Hamas governments have an astonishing history of making good on identical promises on a local level. Those municipalities which, in 2004, elected Hamas administrations showed a significant rise in standard of living between those elections and the national elections earlier this year. Had the United States not led the Western world in cutting off Palestine so completely and relentlessly, it is probable that Hamas would have continued to improve standards of living in the Palestinian Territories.

All I can say is, Rice had better do something, because if the United States eases sanctions in respect for Palestinians' human dignity, the world will follow, and if the United States recognizes the legitimate right of Palestinians to democratically elect their own leadership, then they will finally have a Palestinian partner with whom to negotiate peace who truly represents the Palestinian people as Yassar Arafat and Fatah never did.