Mere hours after the suicide bombing of a popular Tel-Aviv bar President Bush sent out his "roadmap" to Middle East peace. I have a feeling that this move is sending the wrong message. Peace is not possible so long as the Palestinians continue their attacks against the Israelis. Even if the Israelis make the important concession of ending settlements in the West Bank it seems unlikely that Palestinian militant groups like Hamas will end their campaign of violence.
For many in the West Bank and Gaza, the goal is not an independent state. It is the complete destruction of Israel and the massacre of all Jews. This is not a position that is open to negotiation or compromise. As long as leaders like Arafat have power and Hamas continues to operate freely the "roadmap" to peace will lead nowhere.
Well you’ve never offered a better plan. C’mon, lets hear it. What would YOU do to end the Palestinian problem. Exactly.
So long as the Palestinians are left suffering Hamas, Hezbollah or whatever will never run out of disaffected people willing to strap on the bombs.
Now I’m not saying that if Israel makes concessions over night all violence will stop. You’re absolutely correct that Hamas, Hezbollah, or whatever would more than love the “complete destruction of Israel and the massacre of all Jews”, and they will not stop despite whatever Israel or whatever thier newfound government says. They’ll just find themselves with a lot fewer recruits.
Now I may just be being foolish here, but I would like to believe that to stop people from killing themselves to kill others for whatever cuase would be giving them a reason to live.