>Further, part of the reason that >the Israelis are so reactive >to the Palestinians is that >for decades the spokespersons for >the Palestinians was the PLO, >which was a radical terrorist >organization, rather than the people >themselves.
There's a reason why the PLO was a terrorist organisation. It didn't come out of nowhere. It was a reaction to Israeli aggression and provocation.
If the PLO has become such a big factor it has a lot to do with a deliberate strategy from right wing Israelis to force them to use violence. Which made it easier afterwards to label them as 'terrorists' or 'violent', and discredit them as potential representatives for the Palestinian people.
Plus, today the PLO is considered pretty moderate. Plenty of young Palestinians support Hamas since they see that Israel is breaking every promise and/or agreement only minutes after it's been signed.
In general it's Palestinian youth throwing rocks agains Israeli soldiers with bullets (and this week even anti-tank missiles launched from helicopters ... anti-tank missiles ? WTF ?)
krewcial
>Moderate Palestinians would >have doubtless negotiated a reasonable >deal when heads were cooler >and before Israel got too >full of itself, but the >PLO refused to negotiate.
Wrong janey. They've consistently been turned down by the Israeli government/havocs, due to the logic I just explained 'we don't negotiate with terrorists'. The Israeli government always sets ridiculous rules BEFORE negotiations even begin, that the PLO sometimes refuse to 'negotiate' since those ain't 'negotiations' in the first place.
This is all documented. I'll post some links/excerpts later on (don't have the time to find 'm now, this is lunch break ).
>The PLO also kept all >the Palestinians evicted from Jewish >settled areas in refugee camps.
Are you referring to Sabra and Chatila ? FYI, those were two camps that were invaded by Israeli troops (led by Ariel Sharon) where a mass amount of refugees was slaughtered.
>I'm not saying that the Israelis >aren't bad actors. Just >that no one is completely >without some responsibility. But >the real answer isn't found >in the question "who's at >fault?" but instead "where do >we go from here?"
I agree 100%.
>I would most >like to see Jerusalem in >neutral hands, but if that >isn't a viable option, I >frankly would rather have it >in the hands of the >Israelis, who haven't sworn as >a matter of principle to >exterminate any other religion.
Are you suggesting muslims did so ?
Plus Israel's actions led me to believe something else.
'We've got to change our own minds about each other. We have to see each other with new eyes. We have to see each other as brothers and sisters. We have to come together with warmth'
Printer-friendly copy 
Email this topic to a friend
Okay Activist Archives
).
