Financial Times FT.com

Vision of Palestine at odds with the world

By Tobias Buck and Lionel Barber

Published: October 6 2008 17:55 | Last updated: October 6 2008 17:55

Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu grabs a green marker and jumps from his seat to sketch a map of the West Bank on a whiteboard. With vigorous strokes, the former Israeli prime minister and current leader of the rightwing Likud party outlines his plan for tackling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

What emerges is not what the Palestinians and almost the entire international community have in mind, which is a contiguous Palestinian state that follows broadly the borders in place before the 1967 war and the Israeli occupation. Instead, Mr Netanyahu wants to see the West Bank divided into a collection of disconnected economic zones with dedicated business projects.

You have viewed your allowance of free articles. If you wish to view more, click the button below.

Read this