The stupidity that the Sharon government embodies lies in the old man's view that he can bludgeon his way toward a sort of peace, battering the Palestinians into unconditional surrender, and then awarding them less than half of the West Bank in exchange for iron-clad guarantees of good behavior. It is a fantasy, and Sharon probably knows that it is a fantasy. He serves it up to justify what his instincts dictate, which is that Palestinian attacks must be countered with whatever force is necessary for them to be brought to an end. And it is conceivable, such is the desperate condition of Palestinian civilians, that Yasser Arafat may at some point feel he has no option but to agree to a ceasefire on Israeli terms. Mr Sharon's plan is also a fantasy because of the way in which it elevates Mr Arafat to a position of impossible authority and strength.
Peace is between peoples as well as leaders.
The contradictions were instantly obvious. The tougher military policy made it harder, not easier, for Peres to pull off an already very difficult task, as Sharon had acted, at the beginning, with, by his lights, a degree of restraint. Yet many of those who had voted for him, and especially the settlers, had expected a dramatic escalation. You could call what has happened in recent weeks Shalhevet's war. The killing, toward the end of March by Palestinian fire, of this baby girl in Hebron was one of those tragic events that tip a balance waiting to be tipped.