Bismarck of the Middle-East?

My letter to Malaysiakini saying what I believe to be the reasons behind Ariel Sharon’s recent accommodating behaviour towards the Palestinians. This has been in response to Scott Thompson's article suggesting that Ariel Sharon could well be the Bismarck of the Middle East.

Mind you, Sharon did try to delay the peace process by apportioning the Palestinian authority some blame for the recent terrorist attack though it blamed Syria as the culprit. Sharon just had to try blaming the Palestinian government.

Hmmm, just where is Yasser Arafat when Ariel Sharon needs him so badly?

Mahmoud Abbas, President of Palestine, condemned the attack. He wasn't going to let Sharon cook up an excuse to abandon the peace process, which has been the modus operandi of the wily old fox. Abbas believed a 3rd party, Hezbollah based in neighbouring Lebanon, had been responsible.