Submitted by Dave Levy, Jun 25, 2007 22:10

Israel would be making a huge mistake, if it tries to marginalize 1.4m so-called Palestinian Arabs living in the Gaza Strip. It must be taken into consideration during any negotiations with Abbas's government (not recognized by Hamas) on the West Bank.

In 1967, there were 200,000 Arab living in the Strip. and 800,000 in the West Bank. Almost 40% of the populations now are under 14 years of age. The high birth rates guarantee Israeli Jews will eventually be outnumbered, certainly if one includes the 1.4m Israeli-Arabs, residents of Jerusalem and in the Arab Diaspora.

Hamas will continue being supported by the Axis of Evil nations..and have important allies in Hezbollah, the jihadists elsewhere, and Al Qaeda elements. They now have the ability to fire rockets into Ashkelon and elsewhere. Israel for all it's talk, cannot find a solution to this problem.

In the next few months, we will all have a better idea of just how powerful Hamas really is, and their influence in the immediate neighborhood as well as the Arab world. With sanctions failing against Iran, I am very pessimistic about the M.E. future. The 2 or 3 state solution is wishful thinking.

The real problem is still Israel's non acceptance and creation.

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