Bart Senior wrote:
Israel seems to play games like that. I wonder if it plans
to take back the land it just gave away.

I doubt it, they don't have the resources to protect what
they've got now.


.... I doubt they
would have given it back without pressure by the US
government. and GWB's direction.

I find it alarming that Israel's demand for a "right to
exist" is made strongly, while the Palestinian's "right
to exist" is often denied. If Hamas continues to be
militant, then nothing will have been accomplished.


I don't think Hamas can continue to be ideologically
militant and actually run even a semi-functional gov't. The
most likely step I see is their seperation into two
branches, which will take them down the same path Arafat's
group went.

IMHO the denial of self-determination of the Palestinains by
Israel is a big part of their problem, they should have
allowed a seperate Palestinain state years ago. It would
help with their demgraphic problem, and when terrorists
lobbed missiles into Israel, they'd have an accountable
enemy to strike back against.

By the same token, statements like Iran's that Israel has no
right to exist should not be tolerated for one second by any
other nation. The silent assent by most of the Arab world
speaks volumes for where we are in "the peace process."

DSK