Calpundit notes an increase of support among the major neocon players in the Bush administration in favor of the Geneva Accords, while Ha’aretz is reporting a decreased interest in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the administration as a whole, citing a renewed focus on the Iraq war and the redirection of focus onto reelection campaigning.
The Ha’aretz piece makes sense, but well, it doesn’t. Today’s OpinionJournal accuses Bush of selling Israel out, for not backing its every whim in regards to the security wall and settlements. But somewhat contrary to this point, is today’s Washington Post which reports that all of this Geneva talk on Powell’s behalf is just an attempt to put pressure on Sharon to follow US orders and not make any trouble (ie., stop building the wall and start evacuating settlements). Does that reflect a diminished interest, as Ha’aretz suggests, or rather a new strategy for dealing with the all-too cocky Sharon?
All in all the neocon thing is an anathema. If anything it only serves to punch a hole in the theory that these guys are hardcore Likudniks. Support of the Geneva Accords is a direct smack in the face of the Sharon administration. If Wolfowitz was gung-ho in favor of Likud, I assure you, he would not be backing Geneva.
All this points to a change of perspective in the Bush admin on how to handle Israel. Either it’s a PR attempt to discredit those who accuse Bush of giving Israel carte blanche, or Bush may—gasp—actually be doing the “right” thing with regards to Israel and Palestine. If this is the case, however, Bush is about to alienate the ever-living hell out of the Jewish demographic he’s been working so hard to obtain. That doesn’t seem like something he’s after either.
I suppose it’s just left to be seen. Some news days are just confusing as hell, no?