Originally Posted by hkbajwa

I do agree with you on that. The people DO need to stop living in the past. That includes stopping the "blame game". Incidentally that also includes changing the archaic perspective that the jewish people and Israel are "victims". In TODAY'S world Israel is one of the foremost intelligence gathering countries in the WORLD. Israel has a stable economy. Israel has more military might than all the Arab nations put together. And most importantly, Israel has the ultimate defensive weapon in the shape of a nuke that GUARANTEES that ANY nation that threatens their survivial will pay DEARLY. Israel also is the victom of several rocket attacks daily. As soon as the people firing those rockets aquire any real distance and aim with them, Things are going to get really bad.

Israel is NO LONGER a VICTIM. And it is NO LONGER in danger of extinction. This must be accepted as reality. The paranoia that the arab nations, Iran or Palestine could threaten Israel's survival is ridiculous and completely unrealistic. Yet Irans pres tells us everyday now how Israel is soon to not exit. If you want to ignore a man that is close to getting the bomb, thats on you. I for one take people at face value and should at least be prepared for the worst.

In fact the ABOVE is the PRIME reason for Hamas to recognize Israel. However as long as Israel continues to pretend that the Palestinians really are a threat to their survivial, do you think the phallic policies of Hamas are likely to change? Back to the chicken and egg thing. If there will ever be peace, one of them is going to have to lay down arms. I think it should be the side, who now refuses to even recognize Israels existance.

Anyhow you mention that the Palestinian people did a grievious wrong in electing Hamas and deserve the misery they are in. How can you say that? As far as i understand, DEMOCRACY is the ultimate ideal. Hamas won a FREE and FAIR election. The fact that it did so should be a reason for the world community to ENGAGE, rather than DISENGAGE. I say this because, whether you like it or not, the PEOPLE have chosen whom they wish to speak for them. If it had been a rigged election, it would be fair to not speak to Hamas. However they have the mandate of the people. That means that if you wish to include the Palestinian PEOPLE in a solution, then you must speak to their chosen representative. It is complete lunacy to boycott an entire people simply because the chosen representative is unacceptable to you.
The Palistinian people were told that countries couldnt, and wouldnt, support Hamas. So they went ahead and elected him anyway. If you and I were standing in front of a boiling pot of water, and I told you not to stick your hand in it, but you did it anyway, whos fault would it be when you got burned?
That said it is just as unrealistic to think that ALL the concessions have to be made on the Israeli side. NO DOUBT the violence from the palestinian side has to stop ALSO. However there is a difference. For Israel to stop the violence, they need to give a few orders and they will be followed. For the Palestinians to stop the violence, a major shift in the social circumstances of the nation has to occurr. That requires that they get the ooportunity to buld up their infrastructure, that they can do so without danger of having it destroyed, that their borders and ports are handed back to them, that their commerce gets a chance to reestablish itself.
Israel, and America told PA they would be more than happy to sweep through and eliminate the terrorists in PA. The PA has refused. So while we wait for them to get there act together, more and more terrorists move into the area.
Palestine MUST recognize Israel. Palestine MUST cease the violence (but it's harder for the PA to make that happen given the fragmented nature of their social structure and the lack of central leadership). Apart from that, the Palestinians have nothing else to offer as they really have nothing.
Thats all Israel is asking for. And they are willing to give alot, if that were to happen. But No one can expect Israel do go ahead with the peace plan, without these exact things.