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Israel doesn't make concessions ever.
I think of pulling out of Gaza as a concession. It gives the PA a chance at proving its ability to rule, pulls out checkpoints in that region, gives the settlements to the PA. The World Bank reported that, thanks to internal reform, Israel's withdrawal, and international aid, the Palestinian economy is set to grow by 5% this year. Other concessions would be allowing the EU to police Rafah with the PA without giving Israel direct control of the Gaza Egypt border. Since arms are likely to be smuggled through there, I think that counts as a concession. So does allowing convoys across Israel, and offering to give up over 90% of the landmass taken from Jordan and Gaza to the Palestinians in 2000.
Everything it does involves Israel getting more out of things than it concedes
What's wrong with that? If I give you a Christmas cookie because I know I'll get three Christmas cookies from someone else in return, you still benefit, don't you? And in the case of Israel, the things Israel gives up are important to the security of its citizens. In a democratic system, that's dangerous, the because the moment someone gets killed, the public wants your head on a stick (figuratively speaking) and most politicians are very short-sighted. Those who aren't are thrown out of power.
Can you supply a link to this incident with the Qassam killing Palestinian villagers when it was being fired at a military convoy?
Alas, I cannot. I'd Google it if I were you. I'm a university student, and one of my suite-mates is even more obsessed with the Mid-East than I am. He was really into Lebanon until he went there last summer and realized everyone expects to kill each other in a new civil war soon. He decided to focus his energies on the Palestinians, who actually seem (as a people) to have some hope for a brighter future. He and his girlfriend, who's as obsessed as he is (and it's all about Israel/Palestine to her, no Lebanon interests there) mentioned the event a few weeks ago when we were discussing Hamas' chances in the elections. They're both really conscientious though when it comes to the Mid-East, and I didn't think to ask them their source. Maybe I'll try asking when break's over. They have always seemed trustworthy to me, though, and I've lived with them for over a year, minus the summer.
I said Hamas wasn't involved in attacks right now, which is totally correct
I thought I heard they were firing Qassams at Israel, but then those events do seem to run together. They did announce an end to the official truce though.
Israel does not have a truce with Hamas. The closest it got recently was holding off on attacking Hamas members
I sort of thought that was a truce. All the newspapers and websites refer to a truce, mostly as they describe how shaky it is. But like I said, I'm only a college student. What do I know?
I'm not sure where you got the idea that Israel does everything the PA demands on faith.
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say they do everything the PA demands on faith. I meant if they did pull out of the W.B. immediately and completely, as some people on this thread seem to be advocating, that would be making giant concessions on faith that the PA would live up to its end of the deal (i.e. stop terrorists from killing Israelis, keep the Western Wall, Cave of Patriarchs and other forefathers safe and accessible for Jews and Israeli Muslims to visit.) Since the PA is incapable of doing this- they use this as an argument as to why they shouldn't be expected to do it, and I actually agree with them- it makes sense to me that Israel would want to wait until the PA was capable of fulfilling its end of the deal, and had in part done so, before taking the next step in concessions.
Have you noticed that Israel is continuing to expand settlements in the West Bank?
Yeah, I have.
I'm just curious to find out what you think of that, considering it's a violation of Israel's undertakings with the Road Map
I'd expect nothing less of Sharon, which is why I'm disappointed Kadima's beating Labor so soundly in the polls. However, interesting things are happening with those settlements. Palestinians are starting to move into them. So long as the neighborhood councils don't put a stop to it, this could turn out to be very funny. Apparently Palestinians are hoping they'll drive out the Jews. (Have you heard of the "vast white ring conspiracy?" It's a joke name for a demographic phenomena of how, when a minority community moves into a white city, the whites go to suburban "rings," and when the minorities move into suburbia, the whites move to the "exurban ring," so white areas become minority areas, until the whites move into the center of the city again, gentrify it, then, I guess, the whole process begins over again. Look up a demographic textbook and you should be able to find examples of this phenomenon, under a more scholarly name, of course.) Seriously, I'm against the expansion of settlements. I don't like Bush, but I'm embarrassed for him when Sharon talks about sticking to the Road Map. I take a rather pragmatic, un-idealistic view of the conflict though, which I admit is easier for me since I'm pro-Israel. Since Israel is in the stronger position of the two parties, and since Israel can deliver on its promises, and since the Palestinians are the weaker of the two parties, and cannot deliver on their promises (not their fault really, it's just that the PA is too weak and Hamas it too strong), Israel will end up dictating the terms of the agreement in the end. That's likely to include certain settlements like Ariel and (curse it) Ma'aleh Adumim. On the other hand, I'm beginning to wonder if Sharon might split Jerusalem. He's denying it so adamantly, but I thought he made sounds of consideration before. Splitting Jerusalem doesn't sound like him, but then, neither did the Gaza disengagement.
(which, btw, is a dead duck)
You're right there. The problem with these agreements, I think, is that they rely on confidence building measures, which empower those who are opposed to peace. One serious strike (shooting up a mosque, blowing up a shopping mall) brings the whole thing crashing down. Unilateral concessions are the only way, I think, unless the Israeli politicians have enough clout in the Knesset for a"D*** the torpedo's, full speed ahead" approach to fulfilling the road map. As is common in a multi-party democracy, they never do.
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