Dear Critic,

«the continued taking of more land and building permanent settlements lends merit to the idea that this was always Israels intention»

Indeed it does, but having merit without research is not enough to make the above idea correct, certainly not the "always" part of it.

Before Netanyahu, several Israeli governments tried to resist the Jewish settlers. Not all succeeded, but they tried. The fanatic Jewish settlers threatened the life of IDF officers and their families and at times their threats managed to stop the army from evacuating them. While various Israeli governments were AFRAID of these bloody settlers, that does not mean that they liked their activities.

«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»

It is a common mistake to consider Israel (as well as the "Palestinians" for that matter) to be a single entity with clear "wants" or "intentions".

Israel is deeply divided from within, it is nonsensical to speak of it as one. One main chunk of Israel's population wants to make peace, but the chunk which presently holds government does not.

«If they want peace, both sides must be willing to make it happen.»

Again, the word "both" ignores the fact that there are more than two sides in there. Some want, others don't.

«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 think that I did the former. Have I not?

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Dear Foxy,

«Nothing is going to change.»

Israel's prime minister is!

Why are you so impatient and pessimistic?
Netanyahu's reign is measured in months only, 3 or 4 in my estimate.

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Dear Paul,

«Fuhrer Netanyahu has said there will be no two state solution»

Yes, but Fuhrer Netanyahu is not going to stay.
(and he is not a Zionist either, only an opportunistic felon on the run)

Yuyutsu,

I'm not pessimistic just facing the reality that has
lasted for decades. If Netanyahu is ousted there is
no guarantee that his replacement will be any better
or that anything will change. It hasn't done so over
the years of brutality and apartheid.

After the war, Netanyahu intends to control security in Gaza, with Palestinians not hostile to Israel running the Strip. Finding Palestinians not hostile to Israel won't be easy!

US recommends the Palestinian Authority, but Netanyahu doesn't mention them. He is not keen on them, apparently. And the leader of the PA has already said that the plan is doomed. There seems to be no way to deal with those people other than bringing them to heel militarily, and permanently.

But, all military except that needed to maintain law and order would be removed, according to the plan. Good luck with that, Mr. Netanyahu and who ever gets the job next.

If Israel thinks that it can continue to
control millions of people without rights,
with unlimited occupation forever. That this will
always work . Who are we to argue.

Dear Foxy,

«If Israel thinks that»

Israel does not and cannot think - only sentient beings can.

Israelis do think, a lot actually actually, but each thinks differently.

Here is a very partial list of what different Israelis think:

* We cannot control them, therefore we must kill them.
* If we do our little bit, then God will take care of the rest.
* Millions of people? they are not people.
* We do not control anyone.
* We don't want to control anyone, just let them leave our God-given land.
* But they do have rights, more than they deserve.
* The occupation will not be forever, only until they stop hating us.
* We cannot control them, they will eventually kill us all, that's why I keep a foreign passport.
* We cannot control them forever, but we can stem the tide for a while.
* Let us control them while I live, who cares what happens afterwards.
* I don't control anyone, Netanyahu does and that's his problem.
* It's them who control us.
* Just build a big wall between us and them, then hope for the best.
* It is better that the Jewish settlers are over there in the West Bank, harassing them and not us.
* It is their own leaders who control them, not us.
* We tried to help, feed and caress them, but they bit our hand.
* Just give them more of what they want, perhaps they will be happy.
* I rather sit and wait until they come and kill me.
* The rest of my family has already left, I am just waiting for my European visa to join them.
* Better if I could be a Palestinian - at least they don't have to go to the army.
* We too are Jewish Palestinians under Zionist control.
* I wish I could do something else.
* What a joke - I cannot even control my own life.

Without peace, one by one the good Israelis are leaving - the bad ones are staying, and multiplying.

Apropos Jews moving into the Levant in the first half of the 20th century.

"The Jews point with pride to the fact that over 500,000 Arabs, in the 12 years between 1932-1944, came into Palestine to take advantage of living conditions existing in no other Arab state ..."

Robert Kennedy, 1948 after visiting the British Mandate on behalf of the Boston Post.