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PARTISAN REVIEW
I would agree that the difficulties were underestimated in my original
remarks, but I think they can be overcome in time. This thing is not
going to be promptly achieved, anyway. There won't be any major
moves w ithin the next ten years. But I think they'll have to come; the
present situation is intolerable for the Jews living in that area. There will
have to be radical change, on the genera l lines I was talking about.
Audience Member:
I'm an expert on United States and Israel-it's a big
Satan and a little Satan. I think the attitude right now on the ground
moves between Pryce-Jones and Cru ise O'Brien. The estimation is that
only about
10
to 25 percent of the settlers, which is about a quarter mil–
lion, is so-cal led hardcore, and not very responsive to incentives to move
out. The major problem is this
10
percent that wou ld rather be massa–
cred if the Israeli army leaves. The problem is more in-between. The
idea of putting a fence of the sort that curren tl y exists around Gaza,
which reduced dramatically the number of suicide bombers, is being
worked out on the West Bank, pretty much along a quasi-future border.
Things are going on, without any incentive from ou tside, toward a syn–
thesis of what both of you have said. ] think you're right about the
Europeans. No matter what the United States or Israel does, the Euro–
peans will be against it.
Fred Siegel:
When I talk to friends in Europe and ask them whether
they've thought through the implications of a situation in which Europe
was malevolently neutral during a U.S. war with Iraq, and what would
follow if the United States were supported by Russia, supported by
India, Turkey, and Israel, but the Europeans essentially stood aside,
they're dumbstruck. They have no answer. I don't know that they are
typical, but I am taken by the fact that Europeans don't seem to have
thought through the implications of what this would mean long term.
Am I missing something here? What would their reaction be in that cir–
cumstance? They certain ly must be aware that it would produce an
enormous anti-European reaction in the United States.
Conor Cruise O'Brien:
I think it's a question of when, not if, the move
comes to be made against Iraq. The Americans will have to depend on
what they must now dissimulate. Their on ly potential a lli es in the area,
the only people willing to commit ground troops and sustain casualties,
are the Israelis.
If
America does move, it will have to draw in the Israelis.
They won't announce that in advance. I think talks are already pro–
ceeding between the military chiefs on both sides with that hypothesis
