A clandestine undertaking on behalf of Israel, the Jets and the Jews.

 
"West Bank"

Prime Minister Sharon has always referred to the territory in dispute as Judea and Samaria, rather than the West Bank. Therefore it seems significant that, as reported by Herb Keinon in today's Jerusalem Post: "Sharon referred publicly Wednesday for the first time in memory in front of his people and the world to the territories not as Judea and Samaria, but as the West Bank. 'We can also reassure our Palestinian partners that we understand the importance of territorial contiguity in the West Bank for a viable Palestinian state,' Sharon said."

Keinon points out that "for most of the world, using the term West Bank is standard geographical fare. Not for Sharon. For him, saying these words represents a dramatic ideological shift."

Like Keinon I was also struck by Sharon's use of the term West Bank, but I'm not sure he's right that for Sharon "saying these words represents a dramatic ideological shift." Sharon used the term West Bank in the context of agreeing to territorial contiguity for a Palestinian state. It would have made no sense for Sharon to have said that "we understand the importance of territorial contiguity in Judea and Samaria for a viable Palestinian state," because that would have undermined and cast aspersions upon his conciliatory message.
posted on 6/05/2003