Presumably the author's reference to "Israel's settlement policies" means armed, extremist, Israeli settlers who bring the Israeli Army with them onto Palestinian Arab designated lands.

Illegal Israeli settlements appear to be the major, ongoing, cause of Israeli-Arab antagonism.

"Illegal Israeli settlements appear to be the major, ongoing, cause of Israeli-Arab antagonism". I guess the dismantling and evacuation of southern Lebanon and Gaza would show the way to peace??

I sometimes wonder how things could progress were a 'peace party' allowed to have a voice in any election in some distant future or are elections only allowed when the incumbent happens to feel like it?

A few thoughts on the Singer Article. He says: "It is time to face up to the reality that only the fundamentals of a democratic state - free and fair elections, freedom of expression and the media - can lead to a negotiated end to this long running conflict."

When Hamas clearly won the democratic election, Israel and the U.S. torpedoed it!

Singer says: "The sooner elections are held to end the seven year drought since the last election was held - the sooner the hope of peace will become a flickering light at the end of a very dark tunnel." Yeah, and pigs might fly!

Singer says: "Dr Zogby has done the Arab residents of the West Bank and Gaza a grave disservice by dashing the hope of democracy ever coming to change their lives - as it changed the lives of Sharansky and the million Soviet Jews who eventually made it to Israel." Yeah, democracy surely suffers when the people of that 'democracy' are under occupation or blockade!

Singer says, "Jew haters and Israel bashers must be salivating at Dr Zogby's "disclosures". Such is the manner by which the Arab narrative has been created out of nothing - to a story that soon assumes a momentum of its own."

The Israeli narrative has been also created out of nothing, absolutely nothing. The Israeli 'narrative' is all smoke and mirrors, a mischievous tissue of lies and wishful thinking dreamed up by a group of deranged fanatics who came straight out of the Dark Ages!

Y'know people in nice, safe Australia love demonising a country surrounded by genocidal neighbours.

On current trends it will be a Muslim country, Indonesia, that calls the shots in this region. What will regional hegemon Indonesia be like?

Will it be a good neighbour?

Or will it be a Jihadi state?

Hard to know. So long as Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is president nothing bad is likely to happen. But after him?

Some ominous portents:

Report: Religious Violence Rising in Indonesia

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/report-religious-violence-rising-indonesia-18615121

I wonder how Australians would react if this country had a land border with Indonesia?

"Y'know people in nice, safe Australia love demonising a country surrounded by genocidal neighbours.

On current trends it will be a Muslim country, Indonesia, that calls the shots in this region. What will regional hegemon Indonesia be like?

Will it be a good neighbour?

Or will it be a Jihadi state?"

Context please.

How about discussing genocidal Israel. Is it any better than a Jihadi state?

I deplore any violence that is forced upon civilians, likewise I abhor religion when it is forced on anyone. The current problem in the middle east is based on a religious mantra of 'I am more right and my religion makes it just and so'.

The Jewish nation should take a long hard look at itself and its 'pious' stance before judging anyone else, as should the arab nations of Islamic religion which are just as intolerable and insensitive to the desire of others.

Yes Australia is safe for now, and no I have no desire to see our great country ruled under Sharia law or any or 'religious' doctrine.

When you live by the sword, expect to die by the sword, this is the history and future of Israel, the Palestinians and the Moslem world due to their continued and fanatic religious stance on all issues.

Solution: I have no idea, and I don't think anyone with any sense of reality has one either.