Remembering Sharon: euronews reports from Tel Aviv
euronews (in English)
2014-01-13
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As Israel said a final farewell to former prime minister Ariel Sharon at his state memorial service, we spoke to our special correspondent in Tel Aviv, Luis Carballo.
Marta Gil, euronews:
“Many countries in the international community and the Israeli government have come together to praise Ariel Sharon, forgetting the more controversial acts of his career. What is the view on the streets of Israel at what some might say is an attempt to rewrite history?”
Luis Carballo, euronews:
“I don’t think we can talk about rewriting history but it’s true that criticism of Sharon is easing. To illustrate the mood here, one newspaper said that if Ariel Sharon’s life was a film, then its title would be “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.”
Marta Gil:
“Sharon has left a real heritage that even today can be seen winding its way across the Palestinian territories. Take the security wall. It was ‘Israel’s great defender’ who ordered the construction of what seems to be becoming the border between Israel and a future Palestinian state. How is that being felt on the ground? How acceptable could it be for the two sides?”
Luis Carballo:
“It’s accepted politically that if there are no results, in these negotiations or in future ones, the line of the wall – adjusted more or less to the so-called ‘Green Line’ – can be used to establish the borders of the Israeli state with the Palestinians. From the Palestinian point of view, this wall has already been used to annex around 10% of West Bank territory, beyond that ‘Green Line’.”
Marta Gil:
“The latest attempt to strike a Middle East peace deal was launched last July in Washington. Since then, secrecy has surrounded the talks but a few days before Sharon’s death, the Israeli foreign minister said that it was time for a peace agreement to be reached. Is there a feeling that it could be possible, that the time for a deal has come?”
Luis Carballo:
“The secrecy surrounding the negotiations could show that this time is ‘the right time’. Very little of what has been discussed has been revealed. What is clear is that both sides have an ‘ultimatum’ from the American diplomats that expires on April 29. People, as I say, have a feeling of moderate optimism.”
Marta Gil, euronews:
“Many countries in the international community and the Israeli government have come together to praise Ariel Sharon, forgetting the more controversial acts of his career. What is the view on the streets of Israel at what some might say is an attempt to rewrite history?”
Luis Carballo, euronews:
“I don’t think we can talk about rewriting history but it’s true that criticism of Sharon is easing. To illustrate the mood here, one newspaper said that if Ariel Sharon’s life was a film, then its title would be “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.”
Marta Gil:
“Sharon has left a real heritage that even today can be seen winding its way across the Palestinian territories. Take the security wall. It was ‘Israel’s great defender’ who ordered the construction of what seems to be becoming the border between Israel and a future Palestinian state. How is that being felt on the ground? How acceptable could it be for the two sides?”
Luis Carballo:
“It’s accepted politically that if there are no results, in these negotiations or in future ones, the line of the wall – adjusted more or less to the so-called ‘Green Line’ – can be used to establish the borders of the Israeli state with the Palestinians. From the Palestinian point of view, this wall has already been used to annex around 10% of West Bank territory, beyond that ‘Green Line’.”
Marta Gil:
“The latest attempt to strike a Middle East peace deal was launched last July in Washington. Since then, secrecy has surrounded the talks but a few days before Sharon’s death, the Israeli foreign minister said that it was time for a peace agreement to be reached. Is there a feeling that it could be possible, that the time for a deal has come?”
Luis Carballo:
“The secrecy surrounding the negotiations could show that this time is ‘the right time’. Very little of what has been discussed has been revealed. What is clear is that both sides have an ‘ultimatum’ from the American diplomats that expires on April 29. People, as I say, have a feeling of moderate optimism.”
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