> >Would the Israelis be willing to give up all of their West Bank > >settlements at this point? > > > > If they did, would all of the Palestinians then quit calling for the > annihilation of all Jews? Would they give up their attempts to claim > Jerusalem? >
One thing that needs to be kept in mind is that groups such as Hamas do not object to the occupation - they object to Israel's very existence. If you read their official position documents, it's very clear that they have no intention of stopping until there is no more Israel. A Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza, living in peace with Israel, is completely unacceptable to them. This is not, in my opinion, an argument against a Palestinian state. However, until that state (or its rudimentary proto-government, the current Palestinian Authority) demonstrates BOTH a will AND a capability to subjugate Hamas (the way the nascent Israel stifled the Stern Gang and the Irgun) it will be almost impossible for that Palestinian state to be created. Which is precisely why Hamas is doing what it is doing (other than the joy they get from massacreing helpless Jewish - and other - civilians): they DON'T WANT PEACE. It's an open question whether the PA - or even some Israelis - want peace, but it is blindingly clear that Hamas definitely doesn't. Hamas wants chaos and suffering, hoping that it will lead to more and more Palestinians being desperate enough to follow them. They WANT Israeli attacks and repression. They think it will lead to their desired outcome. Until Hamas is destroyed, either by Israel or by the PA, there's no hope for peace. Tom Beck www.prydonians.org www.mercerjewishsingles.org "I always knew I'd see the first man on the Moon. I never dreamed I'd see the last." - Dr Jerry Pournelle _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
