Submitted by Dave Levy, Mar 23, 2008 16:05

The Palestinians still don't seem to get it, it's not about road blocks, the so-called "fence", building apartments in existing settlements, Israeli actions in the Stip or the W. Bank, it's about them. They don't understand something basic to a peaceful resolution of this 100 year old conflict. If they simply stopped the incitement in their schools, stopped training suicide bombers, stopped the firing of Kassams and Katyushas into Israeli cities, stopped the roadside bombings, stopped the illegal smuggling from Syria, Jordan and Iran, stopped thwarting every effort by Israel to make peace, all the above Israeli defenses would cease.

If there were absolutely no settlements, no roadblocks, the fence was torn down, there were no arrests in the W. Bank, all the 11,000 Arab prisoners in Israeli jails were released en masse, nothing would change., except the Palestinians would have a freer hand in accomplishing their ultimate goal, the destruction of the Jewish state.

And to top it all off, the Palestinians have been offered a state of their own, autonomy, sovereignty, even given dozens of factories, complete with the infrastructure and markets. What have been their responses, no, no, no. Instead of taking advantage of Israel's offers, they have worsened their own plight and the chances of a lasting M.E. peace. They voted in a known terrorist group Hamas, emboldened Hezbollah in the Lebanon, created links to Iran's mad President and mullahs, allied themselves more with the Syria dictator Assad, and even undermined Egypt's autocracy for their own benefit.

No, this is not about 750 apartments in East Jerusalem, it's about Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, going south Sderot, it's about survival. Simply put, the Arabs, don't want it for Israel. When viewed from that perspective, the M.E. mess and quagmire becomes apparent as to why.

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