Comments on: News From the Israeli and Palestinian Front: June 13th

By: runasim

runasim — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 06:34:41 +0000

Jdledell,

You are addressing the Israeli side of the stroy and their current contribution to making this such a tragic, impossible situation.

There is also the Palestiinian side of the story., and in that, there has been an historic apalling lack of progressive, useful leadership. Corruption and bad decisions have also, and heavily, contributed to the current suffering of the Palestinian people
By focusing so exclusivley on trying to reverse the establishment of Israel, they have extended false hopes instead of applying energy to establishing workable social insittutions and providing services. The Arafat years were not only wasted years, but the failure in leadership has contributed immensely to the deterioration.of prospects today.

There is a 60+year history that led to today's situation, and no one, including interantional bystanders is as inocent as a newborn.
Today, Israel also lacks the leadership it needs to avoid making very corrosive decisions. The settlements around Jerusalem are setting back peace prospects,and possibly making peace impossible.

One bad move doesn't cancel another. Today can only be understood in the context of history, both Israeli history and Palestinian hisotry.

By: jdledell

jdledell — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 23:07:46 +0000

runasim – I just returned from my 52nd trip to Israel ( i have dozens of relatives living there, mainly in West Bank settlements). I am more pessimistic about peace than I have ever been. Construction is going on like gangbusters. When you hear about housing tenders in Givat Ze'ev, Pisgat Ze'ev or Har Homa that is just scratching the surface of what is transpiring. In almost every single settlement and outpost construction is going on. Most of it is unauthorized but it does not matter since Israel rarely, if ever, does not retrocatively approve such “facts on the ground”. The settlers have a goal of 1 million Israeli's in the West Bank within 5 years which will effectively prevent a two state solution.

At present it is almost impossible for a Palestinian to get from Jenin to Ramallah because Ariel's borders go all the way to the Jordan Valley, which is verboten to all but 2000 Palestinians. To get from Ramallah to Hebron because of the expanded Ma'ale Adumim you still can squeeze thru Jericho but I don't know how much longer that will be open. Their stated goal is Palestinian reservations for those who remain with resident alien permits but no voting rights. It appears as if they are succeeding since no one in Israel has the power to change it.

By: runasim

runasim — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 14:59:24 +0000

The one piece of good news is about Fayedd.
This is what has been largely missing from Palestinian leadership. They have been so focused on avenging, or even,reversing, the past, that they have badly neglected the needs of their own people in the present. From corrupt leaders stashing funds in personal overseas accounts to strictly backward-looking ones, Palestinians have never had any one to inspire them to progrees or to make the best of a bad situation.

Ironically, it is Hamas who has done most to combat corruption, fight crime and encourage civic community.systems. Their dual personlity,(one-half addressing the needs of their people; one-half using violence against Israel) makes for a tragically dangerous and dead-end situation.
I sometimes wonder about parallels with the IRA. It took forever, but eventually they opted for politics instead of bombs. Of course, the IRA wasn't fighting over territory, making progress easier.

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