Likud's Goal?

The decision by Likud to reject the creation of a Palestinian state should not be a surprise. The general population of Israel (nevermind the internal orientation of Likud) has lurched to the right, with a reported 46% calling for what amounts to ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian population in a recent poll. Interestingly, this decision was reported (predicted?) back in January by the Saudi Arabian paper Arab News:

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s Likud party has ruled out the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The Likud’s Political Office, composed of former and current Likud ministers, legislators and senior officials, passed a resolution unanimously Tuesday, rejecting a statement made by Sharon last month in which he expressed support for the eventual establishment of a Palestinian state...

Ha'aretz supposedly reported the same thing at the time.

Also consider Martin van Creveld's warning a week or so ago in the Telegraph about Sharon's goal to "rid Israel of the Palestinians." The dream of the far right in Likud has always been the creation of Eretz Israel and it seems possible that the Israeli leadership will now choose to be patient and simply wait for the opportunity following a major terrorist strike or an attack against Iraq to "transfer" the population to Jordan, by force.

Alexander Cockburn said it best in the conclusion to his piece on Van Creveld's predictions: "We've been warned."