To: Nadine Carroll who wrote (20592 ) 3/4/2002 4:34:06 PM From: Bilow Read Replies (1) | Respond to Hi Nadine Carroll; Re: "Remember, the whole settlements issue is of recent date; the PLO was founded before Israel was even in the territories for the purpose of destroying Israel. " You really can't expect for the Palestinians to have complained about the settlements before any existed. Instead, this is simply an indication that the land / power problem is intractable. Haven't I been saying repeatedly that it's pointless for Israel to try and trade land for peace? I think that we are in essential agreement on this.If things were reversed, you might have a minority movement favoring terrorism among the Israelis, as the Irgun was a minority during the Mandate. " As time goes on, and diplomatic options make no progress, the minority that favored guerilla war would inevitably expand. But it never needs to expand to an actual majority. ... reducing it to these terms exclusively omits all power of choice from either side. ... unlike the case of the Zionists in the Mandate, the Palestinians had real diplomatic options open to them. " It's classic victim mentality to claim that only the other side has any options, and that one's own side was forced by circumstances to do exactly what they've done. But to suggest that the Palestinians have more diplomatic options open to them flies in the face of obvious facts. If Palestine is so powerful diplomatically, then how many billions of dollars to they collect in aid from the US? Where's their capital? I mean really, you've got a country that is so badly beaten that they don't have running water or electricity and you want to say that they have more diplomatic options?He only said yes in 1993 because he was broke and friendless in Tunis. " That's not much of a base to make a lasting agreement.Arafat just reverts easily to terrorism because he's a terrorist from his youth, he's comfortable with it. " Any people which is occupied will, if it appears that there is any hope of relieving the occupation, resort to guerilla war / terrorism (call it what you will, depending on whose ox was gored). During wartime, people tend to prefer pugnacious leaders, preferably with experience in war. The British people brought in Churchill for the same reason.If Israel kills him now, someone else will rise to his position, and that person will be just as hard on Israel.
