However Israeli restrain is self-imposed-last chance, so to speak. It should be understood by everyone by now (Tom, Len, Gus excluding <g>, that the Palestinian "strugle" always was, and is a camuflage for Destruction of Israel...However, Israel also understands that Palestinians are not going anywhere, thus self-restraint (tactical)....for now
I don't quite agree. The Israelis know that the Palestinians are not going away, but during Oslo and up until now the strategy was to work with their so-called "peace partner" Arafat because the alternatives were even worse.
But now even the infinitely patient Shimon Peres has given up on Arafat. No one expects that he will do anything but more play-acting, just a bit harder this time. So now the strategy is to weaken him, remove the head-of-state mantle from him, allow his lieutenants to shoot it out with Hamas and maybe each other, and see what policy shakes out from that. |
