Mind you don't click on Boaz_david's falacy URL he keeps puting up because he has something! Be careful guys.

Second we have been to school before him, why that? because look at his comments quite deeply, he looses his head!

If the International community stopped the aid going to Palestinians, the surrounding Islamic states would stop their support and encouragement of the violence. Once the violence is stopped. The world community could then negotiate with Israel to redress the Palestinians concerns.
I put the emphasis on the Palestinians to cease once and for all, all violence because Israel will not negotiate while the violence exist. I put the emphasis on Israel to negotiate with Palestine because only Israel has anything to negotiate with.
Israel has a thriving society and has much to loose in world commerce. The world could apply pressure that Israel would respond to.
Palestine has nothing and has developed nothing in 60 years to negotiate with.
These are the hard facts with out getting into a he said, she said, but, but, yesterday you did this so I did that routine. Starting from scratch the only way to deal with Palestine is to threaten to take their aid away. And then do it. The only way to deal with Israel is to threaten to restrict their trade. And then do it. Not stop Palestinian aid and or restrict Israeli trade. But a concerted united International decision towards both countries at the same time. And no emotional whinging allowed until the situation is turned around. This is the only way I see anything happening.
The trouble is I can count with both hands (actually more than 10) every country that has their thumb on the scale in regards to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. And every one of them in denial or with ready justification regardless of side. Everybody would have to come to the table for a just end. Is that possible? It hasn't been to date.

aqvarius,

The Palestinians have suffered an illegal occupation for over 40 years of the 60 years since the UN established the states of Israel and Palestine.

That occupation has repressed the Palestinians and prevented their economic development.

That occupying force also collects Palestinian taxes and currently is retaining them as punishment for daring to elect a government of Palestinian people who represent their views.

Restricting Palestinian aid has been done before with no result.

How about restricting the US military aid to Israel as well as all the other US economic aid to Israel. You'd soon see the Israeli's jump to a peace deal then. It'd become a matter of urgency. The Israeli economy would soon become bankrupt if it wasn't for the US aid. Did you know Israel is the beneficary of 66% of the total annual US overseas aid budget and that doesn't include military aid.

Why then hasn't the conflict been resolved? Simple economics really, if peace was achieved Israel's dependence on US aid would have to end. It would then have to face the same pressures as every other third world country and make no mistake that's what it's economy would become without the massive annual US aid.

There would then be a level playing field and the Israelis would be on a par with the nations on it's borders as well as the repressed Palestinians.

Your assessment has just so much bias and Israeli slant it borders on propaganda.


Since the announcements in Mecca the Palestinian Government has stated clearly it will recognise the Israeli state and ensure it's security. So what is the Israeli/US response to such undertakings? Nil. Zilch. Zero...well sort of as I still see informal declarations by Israeli's and their apologists that the Palestinians doen't mean what they say!

So who really wants peace in the mid East? Nobody seems to ask Condi Rice...she would recognise the truth by now.

Thank you keith. I think you've highlighted my point nicely.

Aqvarius

Your point was to restrict Israeli trade and Palestinian aid in search of forcing peace.
Somewhat different than my point which was an acceptance that denying Palestinian aid is not a workable solution or that Israel doesn't rely on trade but relies on aid just as much as the Palestinians.

Your point stresses quite the opposite and leaves an impression you judge Palestinians to be of lessor worth than Israelis because one survives only because of its reliance on aid and the other survives only because of its trade. That proposition is of course biased and rubbish. Both survive on (unequal) ammounts of aid. Now if you were to say let's force them both to peace by threatening their aid well...that would be unbiased and reasonable. Then your point might have some credence. And I'd have highlighted your point... but as it stands there is a gulf between our thinking and my post does not in any way highlight your point. It contradicts it.

First, a factual point:

Israel does not rely on American aid.
American aid is just a small fraction of Israel's GDP.
Yes, this aid grants luxuries to some Israelis, and those richer individuals will kick and scream if that aid was taken away, but the strength of the state of Israel does not depend at all on this aid.
Similarly, the American military aid is not aid at all - Israel is not free to use it, but can only buy with it American weapons. it is simply a bribe forcing Israel to buy poor-quality weapons from American companies instead of buying better ones elsewhere or producing its own. In other words, it is a hidden subsidy of the USA government to USA private companies.

Withdrawing American aid will only prove a boon to Israel!
(and I wish we in Australia were also wise and reject American "favours")

Now Keith, you commented:

"The Palestinians have suffered an illegal occupation for over 40 years of the 60 years since the UN established the states of Israel and Palestine."

Not true - although illegal and shameful actions were made within Israel's occupation, and those must certainly be condemned, the occupation itself was never illegal, but an act of self-defence.

"That occupation has repressed the Palestinians and prevented their economic development."

Not true - from 1967 until about 1976, the Palestinians enjoyed their best economic boom ever. They were much better off than when under Egypt and Jordan. Later came the settlers, their provocations, the resistance against their actions, Israel's response to this resistance, stronger resistance and terrorism, Israel's defending itself against terrorism, including limiting Palestinian movements and the resulting economic downturn. The cause of this downturn was therefore the settlers and not the occupation itself.

"That occupying force also collects Palestinian taxes and currently is retaining them as punishment for daring to elect a government of Palestinian people who represent their views."

Israel simply does what is necessary to prevent that money to be used for terrorism against it. Too sad that the Palestinians chose terrorists as their government.