The more the international community invested in the refugees of Palestine, and it invested in them more than it invested in any other refugee in the world, the bigger the problem became. In order to do some good to the Middle East, and in order to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, there is a need to drain the conflict’s biggest swamp—the refugee problem. “The Palestinian side won by a knockout,” said Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, the IDF’s international spokesperson. Well, of course. That’s the result of the “wait and see” policy. Hamas knows it won’t defeat Israel in the battlefield. But it knew in advance that it would defeat Israel in the global public opinion. Hamas wasn’t the only one that knew that. Any sensible person knew that. Israel should have made the Palestinians in Gaza, including Hamas, an offer they couldn’t refuse a long time ago. I have repeated this claim, I must say, like Cato the Elder. Most of the refugees registered by UNRWA are no longer in refugee camps or don’t even exist Now, Hamas is proposing a hudna. The proposal’s precondition, senior Israeli officials responded, doesn’t meet Israel’s demands. Such foolishness. Not only is Israel failing to initiate anything, it is also rejecting a Hamas proposal. When Hamas propose something, Israel should first of all say yes, and add that the hudna must be based on the international community’s terms. Does Israel have anything to lose? No. But Israel, once again, is winning on the Gaza border and suffering a defeat in the global media. That’s what Hamas wanted. That’s what Hamas got. And the admission of senior Hamas official Salah Bardawil, that 50 of the Palestinians killed on May 14 were Hamas members, doesn’t help Israel in any way. We have lost this conflict—not because of Hamas, but because of Israeli foolishness. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5299664,00.html Most of the refugees registered by UNRWA are no longer in refugee camps or don’t even exist !
I consider this to be a fair and honest appraisal of the situation. But didn't Israel offer Hamas a good deal under Peres, and it was knocked back on the excuse of the four Palestinians killed in a car accident?
I don't think the conditions for peace exist. The right wing Israeli regime isn't interested in resolving anything as long as their annexation plans continue apace. Their goal is Israel from river to sea and they know that dream is dead if peace breaks out. So they dick around, while the Palestinians can't get their collective act together to provide anything even remotely approximating the ability to meet whatever obligations that come out of a tentative agreement. Its a mature clustermuck.
You are wrong - in that you have omitted facts. The Palestinians ALSO don't want to resolve the issue. They don't want borders, they want land - all of it. Any Palestinian leader, even Arafat, would face assassination if he/she reached a deal that didn't give the Palestinians their land back. Blaming Jews alone smacks of racism.
O Ah no, I don't hold Israel to be solely to blame by any stretch of the imagination. What part of can't get their "collective act together" did you not understand. I am well aware of the history of the conflict from its start in th1920's. I also completely understand what 'liberation of all of historic palestine" means. It doesn't matter who is more culpable (the arabs) for today's clustermuck. Fact is BOTH sides have to step up. The Israelis are capable of doing so. The Palestinians are hopelessly inept and ideologically and irreconcilably divided. The only thing that keeps them from each other's throats is their mutual hatred and fear of the Enemy.
Ok. I am with you. You were speaking of the Palestinians. I suggest, provocatively perhaps, that the real "Enemy" of the Palestinians is themselves. It has been said many times that how a nation treats its Jews is a reflection upon how that nation feels about itself. And at one time Jews were a minority in Palestine itself. Despite many Arabs benefiting from Jewish industry and agriculture (even to migrating to Palestine) the fact remains they also hated the Jews. It's a common saying in the Arab world that the Palestinians accept every offer of the Jews after it has been rescinded. At one time all they had to do was accept the Jewish settlements, and then the 1967 borders etc.. Just accepting their Semitic brothers, the Palestinians could have created an economic power house in the Levant - Jewish capital and entrepreneurship, plus Arab labor. All under their own control.
You are conflating Palestinians with the Arab league and blurring the time line. it was the arab league that Israel had to deal with You know those arab nations who sent their armies to fight in partition war? and then after the 67 war? They dictated the three noes. They refused to wage peace. It was the last great gasp of pan arabism. If they had in 67, Israel would have given back most of the territory, (not the wailing wall of course). They were the ones that propagated the "refugee crisis" by refusing to integrate the displaced palestinians into their society (jordan excepted). It wasn't until after his ignominious 67 defeat Nasser declared arafat, as leader of Fatah, the leader of the palestinians. It wasn't until after 67 that the "palestinians" had some semblance of representation and leadership. There was never a time of "all the palestinians had to do" in the timeline, regardless of hindsight. As for accepting the jews, you ever read the qu'ran? As for the jews you read the torah or perhaps the old testament? It was all about religion then and in the final analysis, still is today. Just like the last 1400 years or so.
The problem is the Qur'an is for the sheep, the huge flock of them. The movers and shakers, use the Sunnah, which goes in-depth, with the teachings of Allah and Muhammed. Most muslims have never even read the teachings of Muhammed.