SORRY, SARI

The liberal punditocracy, desperate for Israeli action they can equate with suicide bombings have jumped all over the recent closure of the Jerusalem offices of Sari Nusseibeh, the PA's appointed head of Jerusalem Affairs. Josh Marshall, while overplaying the issue at least describes it as a foolish move. Eric Alterman of course reads the action as part of a Sharon/Bush plan for perpetual war. Its not as if they arrested Nusseibeh, they merely closed an office that the PA shouldn't have tried to open in the first place. Its one thing to say that Israel should look the other way about what the PA is doing in Jerusalem when it is cooperative on other fronts, but completely another to argue for this when PA is still at de facto war with Israel.

Yes, the prospects for peace would increase dramatically if Sari Nusseibeh's positions magically became the Palestinain political consensus. Yes, the Likud has an inflexible, unrealistic position on Jerusalem - a city that is already in effect divided. But lets get real - this is much ado about nothing. There is no viable peace partner or process at the moment. The removal of isolated settlements is far more important than any posturing that Sharon, Olmert and Landau do on Jerusalem. Sorry, Sari - I wish you well in convincing your people to abandon their political madness. If you do, I'd gladly welcome you into new digs on Sal-a-din Street. In meantime however, I'd advise you to check out real estate in Abu Dis.