The conventional wisdom in Palestine once was that "The only good Jew was a dead Jew". Obviously times have changed for the better. Let us hope that the non-Zionists prevail.
The other conventional wisdom was that "You don't need enemies when you have Arabs for friends." That doesn't seem to have changed, so I don't know where that leaves the politics in Palestine.

It seems to me that the greatest threat to world peace comes from states where there is no real separation between the established religion and the government. Where this is the case any action can be justified as having a religious imperative. Israel is certainly such a state, and even worse it appears that it is the more fundamental (if not outright extremist) wing of its established religion which has the strongest link with the government. With reports of even Jewish women being relegated to the back seats of buses it is clear that the extremist Jews share their intolerance and misogeny with the worst aspects of Islam.

Even more concerning is the trend, apparent both in Australia and in the USA, for fundamentalist Christian religions to parasitise the government so as to exert control on policy making.

Shocked to hear that the Israeli PM Ehud Olmert praised the Iraq War as bringing stability to the Middle East.

Though we know that the above war is far from over, Olmert is apparently so sure of America's unlimited power that Iraq is sure to be steered into the American Way.

Though one tries to be fair, it makes one so angry at Olmert's self assuredness, as he believes there is some ridiculous righteous law that such should happen.

Already Israel with the consent of America has been blessed as the only Middle East nation with atomic artillery, which could mean that if Iran does try to influence the outcome of the Iraq War overmuch, Israel will be given the okay from the US to drop nuclear bombs on Tehran.

It is so interesting to see Condoleeza Rice getting obviously upset because the Palestine Arabs refuse to recognise Israel as a state.

Well now, still not taking sides like Jimmy Carter, can one blame the Arabs?

I too find that Jews in my politcal party (CEC)are condemned as anti-semites whenever one of the ultra-right pro isreali establishment is critisized.

It's has an ugly predictable hysterical air to it when peace seeking Jews are sneered at and cast as traitors by their co-religionists.

Danby and Mark Liebler are old hands at this sort of slander.

Antony,

For some years I've read your articles and felt you're one of the few sane Jewish voices. Unfortunately, I feel you let your brethren off too lightly.
For a group of people who feel their suffering has given them a sort of moral superiority, Jewish silence in the face of Palestinian suffering has been indefensible.
And unfortunately a few lone voices now won't change anything. Condolezza Rice will still be handed US Mid-East foreign policy by AIPAC. The AIPAC will continue to find ways to thwart peace. The settlements will keep expanding. And the Palestinians will keep living and dying in abject squalor.

Well said, eet!

Sometimes I think that the only thing the Jews learnt from the holocaust was how to do the same thing to someone else!

For a state that was borm of terrorism the Israelis are the world's paradigm of hypocrisy!