The Wire

Yesterday at a White House press conference Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon stood beside American President George Bush and beamed. Sharon was feeling great because Bush had decided to make some big changes to US policy. Bush said that Palestinian refugees should give up on the idea of returning to their homes in Israel, and that Jewish settlements in the West Bank were there to stay. It was music to Israel’s ears, and it should go down well with Jewish voters in the US too, but for the Palestinians its another big blow. Professor Ahmed Shboul, Islamic Studies Professor at Sydney University, believes Bush’s new approach effectively tears up the ‘roadmap’ to peace. He spoke to Jay lamey.