PaulL,

You're basically arguing that the Palestinians should accept their third-rate status, since it's all their fault, ungrateful bastards that they are. I'll let someone else continue the discussion--

http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/40048.html

Mac,

No. I'm not.

The fact that you would draw that conclusion shows that either you didn't read what I said, or you can't distinguish between opinions that do not fit your worldview. Either way, your wrong.

Mac,

Thank you for quoting this beautiful and well-written article.
I've had the honour of personal acquaintance with the late Prof. Yeshayahu Leibowitz. While he was not a saint and quick to anger and while I had a bitter dispute with him on a scientific issue, I do agree with his political foresight.

Unfortunately, it is very difficult to gauge the real situation and facts of the Israeli/Palestinian issue. Our media tends to constantly regurgitate the same position; a position not ever handled in any depth. The same olo writers submit the same opinions ...

One has to go further afield to obtain more pertinent and informed coverage. That is, of course, if the readers want this, or are happy to stay with the status quo.

One writer of interest, among others, is Khaled Abu Toameh, a journalist and documentary film maker. He appears to be open and fearless in his assessment of the situation. One may not necessarily agree with everything he states, albeit he is at the coal-face, but he is a journalist to listen to.

Khaled Abu Toameh
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khaled_Abu_Toameh

Ask the Arabs of East Jerusalem: Should Jerusalem Be Redivided?
by Khaled Abu Toameh
September 28, 2010
http://www.hudson-ny.org/1575/jerusalem-redivided

Abstracts from Khaled Abu Toameh’s interview with Michael Totten.
http://occidentalisraeli.wordpress.com/2009/02/02/khaled-abu-toameh-on-the-situation/

I tried to access the full interview, however encountered the following

A Minority Report from the West Bank and Gaza (Deleted)
I had published the transcript of a talk and follow-up interview with a prominent and respectable Palestinian, and it caused a bit of trouble that neither he nor I anticpated or wanted. The transcript has been removed at his request.
http://www.michaeltotten.com/archives/2009/02/a-minority-repo.php

Any opinions?

Thanks for the link Danielle. I ended up here.

http://www.michaeltotten.com/archives/2009/01/who-really-won.php

" Far too many Westerners make the mistake of projecting their own views onto Palestinians without really understanding the Palestinian narrative. The “occupation” doesn’t refer to the West Bank and Gaza, and it never has. The “occupation” refers to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. A kibbutz in the center of Israel is “occupied Palestine” according to most. “It makes no sense to a Palestinian to think about a Palestinian state alongside Israel,” .... “From the Palestinian perspective, Israel will always exist inside Palestine.”

"From the Palestinian perspective, Israel will always exist inside Palestine."

So what? Does it mean that Israel should allow the Palestinians to dictate their lives? Israel should go by what is good for Israel, rather than what would upset the Palestinians. It is good for Israel to leave the occupied territories: whether the Palestinians will be happy about it or not is irrelevant.