Shadow Minister,

For your information:

http://dci-palestine.org/israeli_forces_use_five_palestinian_children_as_human_shields#:

There's more on the web.

I saw on the news how a recently released older
Jewish female hostage was being helped by her
Hamas captors to walk to safety when she turned around
suddenly, and extended her hand to the Hamas soldier and softly
said the word "Shalom." He gave her a hug. And she
continued walking to safety.

My heart went out to them both. And I felt a stirring
of hope.

" Shalom, indeed!" and "Salam!"

Dear SteeleRedux,

«one that completely ignores the fact that Fatah in the West Bank recognises Israel's right to exist, works closely with the Israeli government on a range of matters including security yet;»

Former Israeli governments offered Fatah most of what it wanted, or at least most of what it said it wanted:

* 97% of the West Bank to form a state in.
* Alternate land compensating for the remaining 3%.
* The whole of Gaza included.
* A tunnel connecting Gaza to the West Bank.
* Ability to use certain suburbs of Eastern Jerusalem as capital.
* A limited humanitarian return of 1948's refugees to Israel while the rest of them could freely return to the West Bank and Gaza.

They walked out.
No explanations given.
They just went to their cars and left.

They could have taken the offer.
They could have even asked for more later, at least have that for a start.
But they chose terror instead.
They never missed an opportunity to sabotage the welfare of their population.

That devastated the Israeli peace movement.
Some gave up on peace.
Some left the country in despair.
And that changed the demographic balance in Israel and brought Netanyahu to power, now along with his Nazi coalition partners.

Yes, I am very much aware that the people of the West Bank are not that happy - and that the people of Gaza are even less happier.
They could have had it all, but their leaders chose otherwise.
And it is now very difficult to repair.
The Israeli peace movement is decimated, crushed.
Many left the country.
New laws are being made against them, criminalising their activities.
People have even been arrested for speaking against the occupation during wartime, just yesterday.
They are Zionists, they want Israel to live and prosper, they only want to finish Israel's 1967 occupation.
And as I share their views, had I been in Israel now, I too could have been arrested.
All that is left now, is to mourn the good and peaceful Israel that was, now lost to Arab terror.

Foxy,

What Y has said is the truth, Arafat had the chance to create a 2 state solution, however, he was worried that radicals may not forgive him for making any concessions. When Fatah walked away they set the scene for the troubles we have today.

Hamas does not recognise Israel's right to exist and pays a bounty for every Jew killed. That's why Gaza is blockaded. Hamas also happily kill gays and anyone who opposes them and are like rabid dogs that need to be put down.

As for your link to the Palestinian DCI, this has no credibility.

Hi Foxy,
"I saw on the news how a recently released older
Jewish female hostage was being helped by her
Hamas captors to walk to safety when she turned around
suddenly, and extended her hand to the Hamas soldier and softly
said the word "Shalom." He gave her a hug. And she
continued walking to safety."

Yes, I mentioned this in my previous comment, there's some other things there I added which might interest.

Hi Yuyutsu,
I think the arguments you make about being offered a peace deal are valid, but only to a point.

2 states with a tunnel in between, that doesn't exactly seem like a fair deal or even the beginnings of a fair deal, and if that was all that was on offer, hardly much point in negotiating further, though I wish they had've because of all the animosity and needless killing and suffering since.

Draw a line across the country and cut it in half.
- That sounds like a better and fairer starting point to me
- And from there one negotiates forward.
"We give you that, and you give us this - Agree / disagree - move forward"

Dear Critic,

«2 states with a tunnel in between»

The offer was for just one state, connected by a tunnel, with full sovereignty over that tunnel.

Australia too has parts connected to its mainland only by sea.

Sorry, I wish we could bend the rules of geometry: other things just do not work in a 2-dimensional plain.

«that doesn't exactly seem like a fair deal or even the beginnings of a fair deal»

Fair or not, that is arguable, but still an excellent beginning.

Once Arafat got that, he could still ask for more, he could still claim it to be unfair, he could still apply international pressure to make it fairer.

- and I wouldn't be happier if he did, because I also want Israel to leave each and every square millimeter of occupied Eastern Jerusalem.

«"We give you that, and you give us this - Agree / disagree - move forward"»

And that is just what they did. The talks were going on, points were discussed, further discussions could ensue, but Arafat suddenly left in a convoy of cars, leaving the Israelis alone.