The Anti-Settler Turn

Most of the SETTLERS are disgusted by this appalling behavior of a few extremists.

Evidence?

And I take it then that, given the fact that these "few extremists" are part of and operating under recognized organizations who are specifically facilitating and encouraging this sort of violence, you wouldn't object to said "extreme" organizations being officially labeled as terror groups?

A fundamentalist religious fanatic is a fundamentalist religous fanatic, whether they attend church, temple, mosque or synagogue. This is the basic truth of religions. In spite of what Holly says the entire settler movement is in fact a wall in the way of the peace process that will prevent a meaningful settlement until it is torn down.

David - As someone who has visited Israel at least annually for the last 48 years with 35 relatives living in the settlements I can testify that the majority of settlers will not leave Judea and Samaria under any circumstances. They are there for the duration and I don't see any Israeli government having the stomach to move them out. The current hope of keeping Ariel and Ma'ale Adumim along with the close in settlements surrounding Jerusalem and East Jerusalem while the rest becomes a Palestinian state is a non-starter for a number of reasons.

First, the municipal boundries of bothe Ariel and Ma'ale Adumim extend far to the east and in effect cut the West Bank into 3 sperate entities. There are 60,000 well entrenched settlers in these two cities who are impossible to move. Second, the settlement expansion around and in East Jerusalem is currently close to cutting off the Palestinians from Jerusalem. Within a year the cordon will be complete. Third, the settlers who are outside the security fence and theoretically residing in what would be a Palestinian state are the most comitted to staying and would probably fight to the bitter end to forestall moving.

Attend shul in any of the West Bank settlements and you will hear language that will tear the skin off you body. The hatred of the Palestinians as well as any Israeli politician to the left of Moshe Feiglin is endemic. The settlers have a plan and you can get details at most West Bank synogogues. The plan is to keep expanding the settlements and outposts until there is NO possiblity of a continguous Palestinian state and all that will be left is self contained autonomous "reservations" without voting rights for the Palestinians. The theory is if it was good enough for the American Indians, it's good enough for the Palestinians.

I no longer believe a two state solution is possible and what will eventually be forced on Israel is a bi-national state. I am deeply upset by the prospect. My revered Grandfather was Irgun and is buried in Jerusalem. It is my dream to be buried near him forever in his greatest dream - a Jewish homeland. However, in our greed for Eretz Israel we will probably lose what is even more important - a permanent home for the Jewish people. May G-d grant wisdom to our Jewish leaders.