I have always disagreed with the expansion of Jewish settlements into the West Bank.

However, the Green Line is the armistice line between Jordan and Israel, not an internationally recognised border. But ... as the Palestinians neither recognise the state of Israel, nor are willing to define a border (after all this time) ... it appears to come down to semantics.

Nonetheless, Jewish settlements should not have drifted beyond the Green Line. For the benefit of arriving at a two state solution, these settlements should not determine the eventual border between Israel and the Palestinians. This means that some settlements may either be deemed within Palestinian territory, or are dismantled. It is a very hard call.

Is Gaza really "Palestinian?" Prior to Israel's incursion, Gaza was a protectorate of Egypt, the Gazans speak an Arabic distinct from that on the West Bank, their familial and ecomomic ties are with Egypt. Egypt was happy to relinguish Gaza; but would it not seem practical for Egypt to resume control.

Dear Danielle,

It is very true that the West-Bank was part of Jordan and the Gaza Strip was part of Egypt, and that both have, wisely but cowardly, forsaken their responsibilities there.

Whether the Green Line is formally internationally recognized or not is a side-issue: its main importance is within the Israeli psyche, as it is the line of arrogance. The 1967 war has overturned the Israeli psyche and generated in it the worship of militarism and contempt for the enemy and subsequently for everyone who is different. For Israel to recover from this poison and regain its humility and humaneness, it must forsake its results and not benefit from the fruits of that war.

Yutsuyu,

Oh my GOD. Do you even hear what you are saying?

"The 1967 war has overturned the ___ psyche and generated in it the worship of militarism and contempt for the enemy and subsequently for everyone who is different."

Fill in the blank with Palestinian and you have a FAR more accurate sentence. It is in Palestine where you will fing young children, dressed in camouflage, toting real RPG's. and worshipping at the altar of martyrdom. There isn't a wall in Gaza that isn't plastered a dozen times over, with the faces of their suicide bombers.

Humility and humaness? Whats humane about indiscrimanate rocketing of populated areas? Where's the humility in a suicide bomber exploding on a crowded bus. There is a war on. To suggets that only one side is at fault is naive in the extreme.The sooner the Palestinians realise they must make peace, the sooner they will get their state. No matter what the Israelis do they cannot unilaterally enforce peace. It needs to be an negotiated setllement.

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

So unilaterally leaving the west bank etc, is not a step towards peace. So why would Israel, who currently have a buffer between themselves and the rockets/suicide bombers, give that up for nothing? For worse than nothing because it would encourage further attacks and those attacks would be more likely to do greater damage?

Danielle,

I agree with you, Israel has no right to the settlements outside the 1967 border. I fully understand why they would do it. How many attempts on your life do you survive before you take preventative action? Gaza and the west bank were meant to be buffers to limit Israels risk of being overrun and annhilated. Nevertheless they have no right to stay.

But nor can they leave until the Palestinians make some undertaking which will secure the peace.

Hamas refuse to even acknowledge Israels right to exist (regardless of where the borders are drawn) so I can't see them making that leap any time soon.

PaulL,

You are right about the Palestinians, and if you are their well-wisher, if you want them to have a state and live in peace, then indeed you should urge them to stop dumping such poison on their children and to stop supporting suicide bombers and rockets. Good luck with that - you will truly need it, as I don't believe there is any realistic chance to convince them to mend their ways. Sorry, I am afraid that they are beyond redemption. With such attitudes, even if they managed to defeat israel and throw its citizens to the sea, those Palestinians would remain as miserable, even more.

But as I am a well-wisher of Israel, I wish it to come back to its senses: yes, there is a bit of a war going on and some trouble from Palestinians, yes it is inconvenient, but the biggest troubles of Israel come from within. What's the point of surviving if you no longer represent anything good? Losing one's moral basis for existence is worse and more dangerous than bombs and rockets, and sadly, Israel is close to that.

An Israel that fights for lands that are not its own and for the control over other people, is weak and fragile, but nobody can defeat an Israel that is united and steadfast behind its 1967 border, with citizens that are convinced that their war is for a just cause.

"Hamas refuse to even acknowledge Israels right to exist"

Let the dogs bark and let the convoy go on. I too do not acknowledge Israel's automatic right to exist: this right needs to be earned. It is earned by living according to moral standards of justice, peace and compassion.

Yuyutsu,

You say that the Palestinians are not going to change.

You state that Israel's right to exist has to be earned. Good. But don't you agree that with terrorist attacks from without, Israel's first and primary moral duty is to protect its citizens Muslim, Bedouin, Jew, Christian, who-ever.

Yes, when a people have been constantly under seige for DECADES, its children knowing no different, it is understandable that they will retain a seige mentality. In fact, this is normal.

The fence, whilst not the monolithic monster some would like to portray, has stopped suicide bombers from entering Israel and bombing the innocent, indiscriminately, of religious/ethnic origins.

Palestinians complain that it is inconvenient and humiliating to pass through check points to enter Israel and work (also obtaining Israeli benefits). Really ... !! I spent many years subject to armed stops and searches at check points. It was necessary - any rational person saw this as so.

There are many, many organisations in Israel who want to hold out the hand of peace to the Palestinians, and actively work for this. Also, if Palestinians didn't make concerted attacks on Israel just prior to Israeli elections, undoubtedly swinging voters, I am sure one would see more doveish political leaders elected. Israel is a democracy; the voting public are influenced, as is every country, by what is happening currently on the ground.

Every thoughtful person would like to see a real and lasting peace between Palestinian and Israeli (I deliberately do not say Jew, bearing in mind Israel's multi religious/ethnic population). But if one party is going to blast off the proferred hand of the other ...

Peace needs concerted good will from all sides