Missed opportunities

I came upon this interesting evaluation of the conflict in terms of the solutions that are available to all parties involved: Reflections on the Middle East Without Sharon’s Leadership by Yevgeny Primakov, member of the Russian Academy of Sciences:

I would like to say something that may be a surprise to many readers: It’s a pity that Israel today is not ruled by Ariel Sharon, a strong, can-do politician. Consider his decision, in the face of tremendous pressure, to pull out troops and evacuate all Israeli settlements from the Gaza Strip. One might not agree with Sharon’s policy, but he never used it selfishly to strengthen his own position. Sharon, who never feared criticism from the right, would have used this window of opportunity [re. the Arab Peace Initiative] to ensure a real advance toward peace. - LINK