Part of the problem is a confusion of goals. Right now the real
goal appears to be an independent Palestinian state.

"maff" <maff91@yahoo.com> wrote

Chris McGreal in Jerusalem
November 12 2002
The Israeli government has ordered an urgent assessment
of whether its politicians and soldiers could face arrest
and trial for war crimes while travelling abroad.

That's not what has Israel worried. Short of a Unified Arab
military front against them, the only thing that scares the
Israeli government is the combination of 1) the American
taxpayer getting fed up and 2) the perception of a reasonable
Arab authority.

The United States has all the influence it needs to force Israel
into a settlement. We can crush them economically and,
militarily, we can supply their Arab neighbors with the
technology & information to counter the Israeli military
advantage.

We won't do that though, for two reasons. The first is that the
American people simply aren't informed about the situation,
so they don't see anything to get angry about (never mind feel
responsible). The second is that, even if we decided that we
should use our influence to smack Israel upside the head, we
still wouldn't. Arafat is scum, there's no real civil authority
to turn power over to and most of the Arab world wouldn't
even slow down it's support of militants even with a Palestinian
state and a peace treaty.

Part of the problem is a confusion of goals. Right now the real
goal appears to be an independent Palestinian state. Peace is a
goal, yes, but a peace with an independent Palestinian state.

What we really need is an Arab authority -- any authority --
willing to take responsibility for the situation and to do what
it takes to bring things under control. If that's an independent
Palestinian authority then fine, and if it's the government of
Jordan or Egypt then that's just as fine. Whatever works.

Unfortunately, the world won't accept "whatever works."
The world has decided on an independent Palestinian state
and that this somehow *Must* work.

It hasn't.

Anyhow, what we need to do is find an Arab authority that will
work, that will do what it has to do. Then we throw all of our
cards on the table -- every economic & military weapon we
have against Israel. Not that we use them (nope, that wouldn't
accomplish anything), what we do is promise to use them. We
tell the Arab authority that if their demands are within reason,
and they clean up the militants, we'll force Israel to either sign
on the dotted line or throw everything we have at them.... total
economic blockade... freezing of all assets... all trade... all
transactions... all aid... suspend diplomatic ties...

No, someone like Sharon still wouldn't agree to a settlement.
Psychotic murderers are like that. But it wouldn't take long
for the Israeli people to get fed up, and toss the hardliners out.

Gotta kill the
Israeli terrorists too. After all, they /did/ start the whole thing.

Not really.

Excuse me, but I believe it was the United Nations after WW2 that actually
divided up the land, after which all the Arab nations declared war on the new
state.

Sue in PA

Gotta kill the
Israeli terrorists too. After all, they /did/ start the whole thing.

Not really.

Excuse me, but I believe it was the United Nations after WW2 that actually
divided up the land, after which all the Arab nations declared war on the
new state.
Sue in PA