[teal]

Thanks for your post Aloofi. Its very interesting to hear an Isreali point of view on this issue.

I must disagree with your statement that "if the Palestenians stopped fighting their would be peace". If the Palestenians stopped fighting their would be no Palestein (in that sense there would be peace, but that's not what you meant). The Economist published a map of the Isreali settlements in the occupied territories about a year ago. Its very hard, looking at that map, to reach any other conlusion than that Isreal has adopted the strategy of placing settlements to make it a fait accompli that the occupied territories are Isreali and belong to Isreal. If the Palestenians do nothing then they will loose their homeland to the steady march of time and an expanding Isreal. Madeline Albright has suggested in a speech that both sides know that the Isrealis must give up the settlements and the Palestenians must give up the right of return. Both sides seem to want more people to die before they reach that conclusion. I agree with you that if the Palesteniens adopted non-violent methods ala Ghandi that their case would be a thousand times stronger and they would probably have achieved much of their goals. That seems to me to be the best path for them. I have no idea what Isreal should do as I also agree that giving concessions has not worked in the past. We need genius level diplomats that can find a way for both sides to back down without loss of face (i.e. to back down while simultaneously showing strength). Sadly, diplomacy seems to be a lost art these days...

Teal