To: tejek who wrote (567144 ) 4/21/2004 11:48:43 AM From: Srexley Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 769670 "Arafat backed out of the peace talks because Israel won't agree to right of return" Don't think they ever will. Also, you were a bit misleading before with the reason this did not work. It was arafat's rejection of it, and you indicated it was a change in the Israeli government. Keep it honest. "People do desperate things in desperate times" This rationalization will not get the Palestinians a homeland. They need to be told (by people they respect) that the current way is a losing way, and it always will be. Giving them an excuse to act as they are is counterproductive. Particularly for the average Palestinian. "What is nice about a blood feud?" Nothing. The Palestinians should knock it off. Then they will have a homeland. "Arafat helped construct the Oslo Accord" Makes it all the stranger that he rejected it and started the current infatada, which as you have acknowledged is killing a lot more Palestinians than Israelis. Why the Palestinians look up towards this Egyptian terrorist is beyond me. "You can suggest a nice, buttoned down solution to the problem but I am afraid the two parties are way past that point." Until those (like you) that support the Palestinians continue to rationalize their barbaric behavior and tactics it will stay as it is. Seems like you want it that way. "However, that's not really my concern but what does concern me is the position my gov't takes in the dispute " You're going to have to get over that. The Israelis are our friends, and there is no shame in that. If the Palestinians would emulate some of the things they have done (educating their population, operating democratically, etc.) they could join in the prosperity (although it will take a while). But while they trash and ridicule these ideals, and continue to murder innocents in their national tantrum, they will doom their own future. "I want us to stop subsidizing Israel at the expense of our relations with the Arab world" You know that we do provide a bunch of aid for Egypt too, right? Get over your abhorance of the idea that we will help our friends. It may allow you to look at the problem with a more open mind that will offer more possibilities for success than you current rationalization of the Palestinian behavior and jealousy of the Israelu U.S. relationship.