This was the headline of an editorial today. I didn’t read it but it made me wonder.. wouldn’t it be more, or at least equally, appropriate to ask this of the Israelis?
While it is right to put pressure on the diverse Palestinian parties to curb violence, it must not be allowed as an excuse for Israeli non-engagement. If Hamas decides to be foolish and attempts to derail a peace plan the Israeli parties cannot be permitted to cast that as all Palestinians. This is one thing that really needs to be understood.. nothing can happen totally free of idiots. But idiots shouldn’t be able to cause entire populations to suffer. They must be accounted for accordingly, but progress cannot cease on their behalf.
Progress is being made in Palestine. Israel cannot choose Hamas.
[QUOTE] Originally posted by spoon: *
**If Hamas decides to be foolish and attempts to derail a peace plan the Israeli parties cannot be permitted to cast that as all Palestinians. This is one thing that really needs to be understood.. nothing can happen totally free of idiots. But *idiots shouldn't be able to cause entire populations to suffer.*
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i would tend to agree very strongly. i am not certain if that's how the 'man of peace' would perceive of it. Should your derailment scenario occur, it will give him the perfect opportunity to clamp down hard on 'terrorists' by constructing a few more settlements, sending his tanks in to occupy another refugee camp for a day or so, and bulldoze a half dozen more residential structures. Idiots shouldn't be "able to cause entire populations to suffer" but unfortunately in the past, i think that is more often than not what has occurred. Wish i wasn't so cynical, but i don't attach too much hope to this latest round of peace talks.
If the majority of the Palestinians are "idiots" and choose to support Hamas over Abbas as Abdullah k predicts then Israel has little choice to act as they do. If the Palestinians want peace they need to root out those spoiling it on their side.
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*Originally posted by underthedome: *
If the majority of the Palestinians are "idiots" and choose to support Hamas over Abbas as Abdullah k predicts then Israel has little choice to act as they do.
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We are talking about a scenario where the idiots are in the minority. The idiots being Hamas, but I see you couldnt pass on the opportunity to use the word.
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If the Palestinians want peace they need to root out those spoiling it on their side.
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Much easier said than done considering the tools available, not to mention the climate. I'll concede the point that in the past they have not pursued this to the best of their abilities, but I think that was because they recognized the futility of it. Just as with Saddam and WMD, it is their last resort means of defense. Eliminating it entirely would require a leap of faith or something to ground that faith upon. In short, the Pals have no guarantee sturdy enough to get rid of the terrorists, they are the only ones capable of defending Palestine even if extreme. Give them a secure environment and they can be disposed, the Pals have already largely cut them out of the political side of things. We are witnessing a separation similar to that in Ireland. Give them a reason to take it further.
I posted this somewhere else and got an interesting reply, one that I don't really have an answer.. this is it:
What has stopped the Palestinians from simply declaring a "state".........I would suspect that members of the UN would recognize it...even if Israel and the US didn't.
Its surely not for fear that Israel would attack them.....the Israelis have been militarily treading ground there on and off for years now...they aren't afraid of that...
Of course then all the Arab nations that have been whining about injustice would have to anty up with the spending cabbage to help the Palestinians with the infrastructure that statehood demands.....but surely they would be trampling each other to be first in line...........or would they.
[QUOTE] Originally posted by spoon: *
Of course then all the Arab nations that have been whining about injustice would have to anty up with the spending cabbage to help the Palestinians with the infrastructure that statehood demands.....but surely they would be trampling each other to be first in line...........or would they.
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Maybe that answers the query as to why the Palestinians haven't? i have strong doubts Arab nations would provide financial assistance with the requisite infrastructures. The majority of them are slightly too preoccupied with their monarchical dictatorships to be bothered with trivial concerns such as those.