I changed the thread title to something that I hope will apply to the entire spectrum of opinion on the issue. Our thread titles are an index - opinions should be stated in messages. I suppose I could have left the thread title, but rejoicing when another person is near death is a bit too much. If you want to rejoice at someone else's misfortune, do it in a forum message.


I have to say that I have never had much respect for Ariel Sharon, and I don't completely trust his recent move to a more moderate stance. I realize that Israel is an impossible situation in many ways. Perhaps Shharon has been effective in honoring the needs of the various factions, and perhaps not. I certainly don't like his "Berlin Wall" that separates Palestinians from shopping and jobs and education. He was wise to evacuate Gaza, but I think he needs to mke concessions on the West Bank, not new settlements.

-Joe Offer-