| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Pope calls for an immediate end to the barbarity in Palestine. | |
| Posted by: | Steven Rose | |
| Date/Time: | 28/07/25 19:24:00 |
| I agree with many of the views expressed in your last post, Gerry, especially in the second paragraph. The problem is that Hamas don't agree. They have no desire to lay down their arms, let alone be dismantled as an organisation. They want to emerge victorious. And they think their best hope of achieving victory is for Western nations, particularly America, to impose a ceasefire on Israel, leaving them in control of parts of Gaza and still in possession of the remaining hostages, whom they will use as bargaining chips. A two state solution would be a good idea, but is it feasible at the moment? I think Israel's decision to build settlements on the West Bank since 1967 has been a tragic mistake, as has the decision by the Palestinian leadership on two occasions to reject Israel's offer to withdraw from 95% of the West Bank in return for peace. Unfortunately there are now 700 000 Israelis living in settlements. Moving them all back to Israel would be an immense and expensive undertaking, though not impossible. But the economic aspect is not the biggest obstacle. The problem for many Israelis in a two state solution is the complete lack of trust in the Palestinians to stick to any peace deal. The Israelis have no regard for Mahmoud Abbas whom they regard as an anti-Semite. In a speech given in September 2023 he said that the Germans fought against the Jews in the Second World War because of their role as moneylenders, echoing the view expressed in his doctoral dissertation many years earlier. Abbas was also part of the delegation at Camp David in 2000 when Yasser Arafat refused Ehud Barak's offer to withdraw from the West Bank and Abbas himself rejected a similar offer from Ehud Olmert in 2008. The sticking point on both occasions was the Palestinians' insistence on a right of return of 4 million Palestinians to Israel. But more importantly Abbas is deeply unpopular on the West Bank. Polls suggest that around 80% of the electorate would vote for the candidate from Hamas. So you can understand the reluctance of Israel to allow the creation of a Palestinian state on the West Bank which would be run by Hamas and whose principal aim would be the destruction of Israel. |