Lawry, I suppose we have to separate the "leaders" from the people. I am talking about the "leaders"
As people are pretty much alike everywhere, I suspect that, overwhelmingly, the Palestinian people want most of all peace and stability. Highly testeroned young men are a little different- as they are all over the world. I understand that the school kids are taught to hate Israel, that the maps in their classrooms don't show Israel, but show the area as Palestine. The Arab nations have done little or nothing to make a viable Palestine state. The massive amounts of money that have gone into the area - mostly from Europe and the US - seem to have done little to improve the infrastructure, build a modern economy, make the area a good place for investment. The Arabs give little for they expect the area known as Israel to be Palestine - the sooner the better. While the Arab leaders have toned down their earlier rhetoric, they are still fervently anti-Israel. Yet, Israel with a citizenry that is highly educated and technically proficient could be a boon, not just to Palestine, but to all the Arab countries. On the other hand, the partitioning solution to problems which has been primary policy for so many decades has worked very well hasn't it? One can think of Germany, Yugoslavia, Ireland, the Czechs, India - all excellent examples of, essentially, sweeping the problem under the rug - thereby leaving it for others to handle. Why should Israel be different? Harry ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Lawrence wrote: >Greetings Harry, > >You are profoundly ignorant of the Palestinian goals, when you suggest that >the 'open intent' of 'these people' is to sweep Israel into the sea.' > >Please review the Palestinian goals as reflected in their positions and >proposals at the Taba January 2000 Palestinian-Israeli negotiations for the >most recent iteration. > >The Palestinian historical view is simply that Palestine was sized from the >Palestinians as a result of Zionist and British colonial seizure after WWI, >and that the Zionist were able to so strengthen their position in Palestine >that they were able to seize approx. half of Palestine in 1948 from the >Palestinians, and seize additional Palestinian land in the 1967 war. > >The overwhelming majority of Palestinians have come to accept the presence >of the Israeli state within Palestine, and they ask simply now that they be >allowed to have their own state in what is left to them, though presently >occupied by Israeli forces, the West Bank and Gaza. A minority, the militant >Palestinians, demand all their lands back. > >Sharon did not create this mess, but he has exacerbated it: the Likud branch >of Israeli political thought still is committed to seizing all of Palestine >for Israeli control, and expelling the Palestinians entirely. Alas, if >anyone wants to 'sweep' anyone into the 'sea', it is the Likudists of Israel >that want to sweep the Palestinians into the sea. You may want to counter >this by saying that the Palestinian militants want to do the same to the >Israelis, and you would be right - but the difference is that that >Palestinian militants are not in office and do not represent the majority of >Palestinian people, whereas the Likud and its Prime Minister Sharon ARE in >office and did win a popular vote. > >Things are hard enough for peace-loving Israelis and Palestinians both >without American and other observers simplifying or misunderstanding their >positions to the point of absurdity. > >Best regards, >Lawry ****************************** Harry Pollard Henry George School of LA Box 655 Tujunga CA 91042 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tel: (818) 352-4141 Fax: (818) 353-2242 *******************************
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