Israel's withdrawal clever move

Your story in Sept. 15 edition of The Jakarta Post headlined Abbas vows to end chaos in Gaza highlights the whole point about the value of Israel's voluntary tactical withdrawal from Gaza and how it opens the field to Ariel Sharon's policies.

That the withdrawal was a very clever political and risky move to himself by Sharon is clear. But the Palestinians have fallen into the trap he has opened for them. Everyone who pays attention in the world knows that this was Sharon's call, not dictated by the Palestinian lunatic fringe with guns but a cold calculating strategic move that has won Sharon worldwide recognition of his courage and wisdom including from Muslim leaders such as President Musharraf of Pakistan.

Everyone, that is, except the Palestinians themselves. Some Israelis have suffered grievously from their eviction from Gaza, but they should not have been there in the first place. Meanwhile, the Palestinians are turning their guns on each other, thus giving the Israelis every reason to point out the impossibility of reaching any kind of sane settlement with them -- and reinforcing their determination to hold onto what they have on the West Bank until negotiation can lead to a stable solution. Fat chance.

The Palestinians seem to forget they are dealing with people who are ex-terrorists themselves and know the ropes. The Jews and their Irgun Zwai Leumi were much smarter, facing the British army. They knew when to stop and when to negotiate to get what they wanted after they had made their point.

It seems that there is no hope of such an exhibition of basic common sense from the Palestinian Arabs. And I don't mean only in Gaza.

CHRISTOPHER R MCRAE Jakarta