From: Baardwijk, J.
> > > Speaking of jails: how about Israeli civilians in the Occupied
> > > Territories? Is the Israeli government doing anything to prosecute
> > > and jail Israeli settlers that kill Palestinians?
> > >
> > Is this just a rhetoric question or do you have any real cases in mind?
> > Can you describe an incident where Israel has failed to prosecute when
> > it should have done?
>
> It is not a rhetorical question. From news reports over the years, I
learned
> that Palestinians get killed by Israeli settlers in the Occcupied
> Territories. I do not know if Israel prosecutes those settlers, so I ask.
Asking the question like the way you did in that context strongly implies
you
know the answer to be yes. If you don't know you should have phrased
the question more neutrally.
Israel is a civilised country, with an independent judiciary. In the
absence of positive evidence you should not slur them by accusing them
of such crimes.
>
>
> > > > He knows that's going on. He refused the offer of Barak, which was
> > > > basically EVERYTHING he wanted, he refused...
> > >
> > > If it was basically everything he wanted, Arafat would have accepted
> > > the offer. The only possible conclusion therefore is that the offer
> > > was not everything Arafat wanted.
> > >
> > He was offered everything he said he wanted. If he really wants more
> > than that we must wonder where his desires stop, if they do stop short
> > of the complete destruction of Israel.
>
> Can you give a reason why Arafat would refuse if he was offered everything
> he wanted? And I mean a *real* reason, not propaganda-like answers like
"he
> wants the complete destruction of Israel".
That is one possible answer. It might be that his followers would kill him
if he settled for anything less.
There's no reason to believe that his stated desires are identical with
his real desires. That is not a slur, it's standard negotiating practice.
It would be surprising if he did otherwise.
--
Robert
