As we all know, the whole thing has become a bloody mess and more and more complicated over the years! Had 9/11 not happened, the picture might be somewhat different than it is now. 9/11 has galvanized Arab cohesiveness and resolve, particularly in Palestine. Of course, we know what this implies.
I am not sure whether what I have heard is true or not: the peace deal that was offered was unacceptable to the Palestinians because 98% of the land offered them was useless desert. Also, at that time, the Palestinians were planning something big, or so it seems, and so it was not in their interest to make peace. Also, Arafat was scared he would be murdered had he accepted the peace offer.
To not a few cynics, Israel should have offered a peace deal very much earlier, not after it had wrought irreversible changes in general and allowed time and circumstances to embolden the Palestinians into intractability. There were suggestions that the Israelis made the offer as an exercise in PR but knowing full well the offer would be rejected.
IMHO, the article I have posted should be essential reading for Sabras as well as Jews in N. America. To me, it seems that far too many Jews here are more concerned with whether they are Cohanim than what is going on in the Middle East. |
