Reply #5: PSF is likely to be a continuation of the existing forces [View All]

[tinnypriv]

i.e. Fatah, the Palestinian police, Force 17, etc all merged together.

The weapons they will be able to carry (or manufacture) are specified in annex X which is not provided. I assume that annex will say that anti-aircraft weapons, anti-tank weapons, heavy mortars etc will not be allowed.

There is no chance of this being anything like Japan in my view.

As for being a "demilitarized state", that was a compromise made long ago, and is not new to this document.

As you note, and I will repeat, it will not go anywhere unless the U.S. government changes its stance on the accord. At the moment it believes it "will not bring a solution" and therefore "does not support it" (both front page headlines in the Israeli press).

The most useful outcome of the accord in the short term IMO is to use it as a basis of discussion whenever talking about I/P. In the medium term (after the 2004 elections), it can perhaps be revived.

Certainly the fact that the US has essentially put the Roadmap into a "deep freeze" should work in the favor of people interested in peace, justice etc.