In his article titled "Beware of the Woman of Steel," which was published in the Palestinian Authority daily Al-Ayyam , Palestinian columnist Hassan Al-Batal strongly criticized U.S. National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice for her position on the implementation of the road map, and her attachment to Israel. The article came out several days before Dr. Rice's scheduled visit to the region. The following are excerpts from the article:
"She has a figure no less fine than that of supermodel Naomi Campbell, and is more intelligent than 'Iron Lady' Margaret Thatcher. She is Dr. Condoleezza Rice, the national security advisor with the most influence over the American presidency since 'dear Henry Kissinger,' also called 'The American Metternich' after the shrewd, famous German politician."
"A number of women with powerful personalities have passed through the White House, such as 'The Dominatrix,' Ronald Reagan's wife, 'The Wise and Ambitious,' Bill Clinton's wife, or the 'Beloved,' John Kennedy's wife. But Condoleezza Rice is the first woman, [or to be more accurate] the first black woman to fill the most important post in the White House. She is the 'brain' of the president, particularly [in light of the fact that] the current American president is the strongest in the international arena but one of the weakest presidents in his international political education that was ever in the White House."
"The advisor's 'intelligence' and the 'courage' of General Colin Powell raised this black woman and this black man to the highest posts held by a black American man and woman in any American administration at any time. Officer Powell fought Vietnamese Communists while Ms. Autodidact, Rice, prepared herself for ideological war with Soviet Russia or [its other name] global Communism."
"Now, Secretary Powell and Advisor Rice [are together] putting the [policy of the] 'Velvet Glove' on the 'Iron Fist' in a war on the 'terrorist' global fundamentalist movements and against the repressive regimes across the world."
"But unlike Powell 'The Moderate,' who works in the extremist American administration, Rice makes known far and wide her ideas, which belong to the ideology of the American Christian conservative 'New Right.' She is the daughter of a black minister who, when she was a child, filled her head with stories about the Holy Land."
"In an extraordinary interview with the [Israeli daily] Yediot Aharonotin early May 2003, a few days before the White House officially released the road map, [Rice] spoke of the strong spiritual impression from her first visit to Israel in August 2000 – 'I felt that I had returned home… There is a deep connection between me and Israel'…"
"Ms. Rice will visit Israel for the second time next week, and Palestine for the first time, in order to salvage the road map and to save the 'brave' and 'moderate' black man from [his] failure to salvage the plan."
"Yesterday in Jericho, Mr. Powell used a phrase of great significance attesting to the way in which the 'heavy hammer' of Ms. Rice would work to remove the obstacles to the [implementation of the] road map. Mr. Powell presented an order of [moves] that is the reverse of that of the Palestinians, which is: a Hudna [truce] agreement among the factions, [then] a cease fire, [then] a gradual Israeli withdrawal and [then] gradual deployment of Palestinian Authority security [forces] in the northern Gaza Strip and in the city of Bethlehem. Powell suggested a [different] order of actions: a deployment of Palestinian forces in the northern Gaza strip and Bethlehem, [then] a partial Israeli withdrawal, then a ceasefire, and, finally, the Hudna for the problem between the PA and the factions."
"How does Ms. Rice think to pave the difficult way to the road map and to realize 'the vision of two states living peacefully next to each other?' As we know, the road map speaks of a Palestinian state with temporary borders, and a Palestinian state with final borders. Sharon demands a 'suspension' for an unlimited time between the two stages – a demand that arouses deep fears among the Palestinians."
"The flaw of the Oslo agreement lies in the absence of a prior agreement on the permanent status, while the flaw of the road map is the absence of mutual understanding regarding the political-sovereign map of the State of Palestine – that is, its international borders, its territory, and the congruence of [these criteria] with the 1967 borders."
"In her article in the Global Review Point magazine, Rice explained the following formula: The more the content of the Palestinian state with temporary borders meets the American conditions, including [the establishment] of a democratic state – the closer the Palestinian state's shape will be to the 1967 lines…"
"This means that the American decision regarding the establishment of a 'small' and 'contiguous' Palestinian state is final. If [the state] is 'peace-loving, democratic, honest, and fights terror,' then we can look optimistically towards 2005…"
"Beware of this 'Black Spinster' – [I do] not say 'Black Widow' out of respect for her femininity, her wisdom, and her determination, which transform her into a 'Woman of Steel.'" [1]
[1] Al-Ayyam (Palestinian Authority), June 22, 2003.
