In 2005, 21 Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip were unilaterally dismantled and Israeli settlers and army evacuated from inside the Gaza Strip, redeploying its military along the border.
The disengagement was proposed in 2003 by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, adopted by the government in June 2004, and approved by the Knesset. In 2005 the Gazan strip was ethnically cleansed of every Jew, there are no Jews in Gaza. Gazans were given hope that the area would become a Singapore of the east, but what happened the rise of Hamas burned all opportunity to develop economically. They then were democratically elected to become the sovereign Government of Gaza. Once they were elected, they murdered everyone who did not agree with them.

Hi mhaze and Yuyutsu,
"I'm pointing out that the Gazans throwing the chance of a free and prosperous homeland back in the faces of the Israelis and instead using the opportunity to use the land the Israelis had freely withdrawn from as a base to attack and kill Israelis, was the final nail in the 2 state proposal."

- It's funny actually I was watching or reading something yesterday afternoon and Ariel Sharons name came up and I thought, Hmm I may have messed up earlier...

I haven't actually looked in depth at all the peace initiatives and agreements; my argument in regards to 'never offered them a truly fair settlement' is based on what I heard others say.

And truly I agreed with what he said because other things don't add up.
Even if Palestinians did reject 'a peace settlement' regardless of whether or not it was a fair one, that does not mean that Israel had a right to drive more people off the land and build more permanent settlements, with the backing of the government and the IDF.

- In fact, the continued taking of more land and building permanent settlements lends merit to the idea that this was always Israels intention, and that a truly fair settlement, one that wasn't swayed in Israel's favor was - on the face of it, totally unlikely.

For me if Israel wants to make peace, then there's really only one thing it needs to do to demonstrate it's true intentions

OFFICIALLY STATE ITS DAMN BORDERS!

But yes, I was wrong and you could've simply shared the info like someone who wished to correct misunderstandings and inform, rather than pounce on me like you were trying to level some imaginary scorecard...

I told youse (bad grammar - shoot me) I'm not a historian, political scientist, old school diplomat or the living incarnation of the World Book Encyclopedia.
I'm just a person that watches a different kind of content than the mainstream media sells us all, as many these days do.

Thanks for the info everyone, and Josephus -

"In 2005, 21 Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip were unilaterally dismantled and Israeli settlers and army evacuated from inside the Gaza Strip, redeploying its military along the border.
The disengagement was proposed in 2003 by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon..."

Word that comes to mind.... 'Band-Aid'

These may have been good 'steps',
But they don't in any way represent a fair and just 'final settlement'
- That the majority of both sides will be happy to live with, as opposed to constant conflict.

I never said Hamas were perfect or that I even supported them, but I did say they are the only people that are fighting for the interests of the Palestinian people, and that they have a right to resist oppression and have their own state.

Either deal with these fundamental issues. Or don't.
- But don't expect to have peace in that neck of the woods until they're addressed.
If they want peace, both sides must be willing to make it happen.

AC, you do not get it. Understand what "From the river to the sea Palestine shall be free." It means the eradication of the State of Israel. Do you support that cause?

Amnesty International says that Israel must end its
occupation of Palestine to stop fuelling apartheid and
systematic human rights violations.

It tells us that Israel must end its brutal occupation of
Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which it
has maintained since 1967.

Public Hearings have now begun at the International
Court of Justice to examine the legal consequences of
Israel's prolonged occupation - taking place in The Hague
19 to 26th February.

Amnesty says that they world must recognize that ending
Israel's illegal occupation is a pre-requisite to stopping
the human rights violations.

In the meantime Netanyahu has presented a plan for Gaza
when the war ends. A future plan which will place everything
under Israel's control.

Nothing is going to change.

Israel like Putin - is not about to negotiate.
Both want what they want and expect to be given it.