Trust the settlers to lose the West Bank

Hey, that is why you guys were kick out from other countries, you guys don't know how to relate or integrate with others...

Before you took the land, there were other peoples living in it, some of them were the philistines, if you think about abraham as your father, he was not born in israel, as you know, he was born in Ur, way up north...

Actually your phrase "foreigners giving away the land that has nothing to do with them in any way" very well describes the Balfour Declaration and San Remo.

Israel, Palestine and Settlerland. Let them feed themselves, defend themselves, make the payments they absent-mindedly forgot to make for the homes they live in - to Palestine for the land and Israel for the construction. I think that this would bring the great majority of Israelis and Palestinians together as neighbours and win approval around the world.

"Barack Obama" & Co did not compel Settlers to create Israel and free up land for a Palestinian state. Neither did the international community as a whole, nor Hamas, and certainly not the Palestinian Authority. Only left Settlers did create Israel. Therefore do not be amnesiac and always trust Jewish Settlers, even if they are not left-Settlers.

They will certainly know how to provide for themselves and to defend themselves.

You write in an authoritative manner, as if you knew Palestinians well, and able to explain their hopes and dreams to us. The fact is, you have no idea what you are talking about, and apparently have never talked to a Palestinian. Do you really expect us to believe that the Palestinians do not want a state of their own: that they would rather remain occupied subjects for eternity: to have their land expropriated for settlements, their olive groves destroyed for roads they can't use. What absolute nonsense. Do you want us to believe the Palestinians would prefer to live under a harsh, humiliating and stultifying occupation for the rest of their lives. Are you telling us the people of Gaza wish to continue to have 80% of their population dependent for survival on meager supplies allowed into Gaza by the Israelis: that 30% of them wish to continue without access to clean water; that they wish to live forever on nutritional levels below basic international standards? Dream on.

for their homes and freedom. Anything that's worth keeping is worth fighting for. They must be dedicated to all-out resistance. As their hopes ,dreams or their cause go so goes the dreams and hopes of Israel. Israel can't let a foreign power like the U.S. tell them what to do and make them and their leaders subservient to their demands. Israel needs to throw Obama under the bus before he has a chance to do it to Israel.

... it seems to me you are a rare exception to what you 'quoted from the internet' ! "Psychological denial can help people maintain sanity" Zeev. You are, on the one hand; denying the jews vigorously the right to the land of their ancestors; on the grounds of their religion & history; on the other hand, you are obsessed calling the palestinians,who never had a 'stateless' ! One can't help not to see an acute & complicated 'psychological denial' here ! The palestinians who never had a state that was taken from them, you keep calling them 'stateless' & jews who never seized to be part of their ancestors state; you are denying them the right of a statehood in the land that was built & lived by their fathers ?! Zeev, you must be the one who 'lost his sanity' and living in the wrong denial .

Serge I think your comment is absurd,because if the settlers agree(which I doubt)and if the Palestinians agree(which I doubt),Either way no Muslim would allow Jews.Because (if a state is built whenever)It would be JUDEREIN.Or have you forgoten this part of the equation. There for,no Jew would accept to live like dhimmies.Funny you forgot about this aspect.

"It was a mistake to pull out of Gaza ... " (J.J. Ben David) Hiding half the truth is one of the propagandists' oldest tricks, akin to lying. Don't rewrite history, say it all, as it really was: It was a mistake to pull out of Gaza ... UNILATERALLY. Israel handed back the whole of Sinai into Pres. Anwar Sadat's hands against a negotiated and signed treaty, and we got peace. Sharon idiotically abandoned the Gaza Strip into nobody's hands, without asking anyone for any return, and we got war with a tiny Islamist enclave we now cannot live with - nor defeat, we who 42 years ago knew how to crush three Arab armies in six days. Every folly and its price, mister. "If the people submit to this tyranny ... " (J.J. Ben David) What tyranny are you talking about, dummy, of a freely elected government?

It was a mistake to pull out of Gaza and Israel will go on paying for it in blood. Now, like Sharon, Bibi is going to make another Gaza and another terrorist state within its borders. If the people submit to this tyranny then they have mostly themselves to blame. Israels fate, it seems , it to always be lead by traitors and back-stabbing politicians who sell them out. Bibi is proving to be no different from the rest.

Really?really? Nevermind the Jews.What about The Christians? Really,Really??? So, in one big swoop you also deny the NT thus escoriating the Christians as well(2000 years). Really,Christians from 2000 years?really,REALLY?????

"you need to remember the history of hevron." (CJK) Nothing in my post (#70) provided you any reasonable basis for believing that I need to. What YOU need to remember always is that Zionism is not a punitive expedition nor a Jewish crusade to redeem Jewish holy places from the hands of the unbelievers. "those 500 hundred jews who live in hevron today are first and foremost jews." (CJK) Everyone who chooses to dwell amidst a foreign and stateless population, on a land outside his country's sovereignty, and whose presence is imposed on the locals by military forces, is first and foremost a FOREIGN SETTLER. The Jews are not exception. A fact that no reference to past Jewish victimhood can obfuscate. You just don't have the courage to face painful truths and reality. "Psychological denial can help people maintain their sanity, which would be threatened by awareness of a painful truth or reality." (found on the Internet)

Majority of the world does not believe that Israel is guaranteed to the Jewish people. It's religion, its a belief, stop trying to impose it on everybody. Look, believe what you want to but you can't say, "hey this is mine because some book that you don't even recognize says so." Seriously, that's a pretty playground type retarded argument. And please, stop the Nazi references, both sides, no way is anybody acting like the psychopaths that committed unspeakable atrocities like the Holocaust.

Let them live under Palestinian sovereignty. Let's hold the Palestinian state to providing the same rights that Israel provides to Arabs. Why complicate things?

The unwillingness of many Israelis to give the Palestinians their land back and to back Palestinian statehood is a stain, not only on Israeli governance, but a slap in the face to all the nations that have backed israel morally, financially, economically and militarily all these years. As things are headed now, your pride and arrogance will lead to your own downfall. Americans are tired of sending money and entering into agreements with Israel, only to receive the back of the Israeli hand whenever we ask something of you. America -- no matter what politicians and others say -- is becoming tired of the gross ingratitude utter dismissal of American overtures aimed at ending the conflict and establishing peace. For too long, the Israeli tail has wagged the American dog -- and we're getting tired of it. Just keep overplaying your hand -- and biting the one that helps to protect you -- and you will find a harder row to hoe down the road. Disrespect of President Obama is NOT a winner.

Right off the bat, Burston, if Israel was as hostile to Judea/Samaria Jews as you wishfully think, Labor and Meretz would be governing our land. Instead the two most anti-settlement parties are declining into nothing. Polls show that, if an election was held today, Labor would be down to just six seats. The right would increase it's domination to atleast 72 seats. Circulating, as you likely do, among the extreme left Bradly, you mistake the anti-settlement sentiment of a tiny minority for the attitude of the land. It isn't. You're dreaming, Burston, Judea and Samaria are ours forever.

you need to remember the history of hevron. jews had lived there for many centuries, going back to biblical times. jews have been massacred and expulsed from hevron ever since at least roman times. they were massacred by muslims and christians alike. the most recent massacre was by arabs in 1929. not a single jew was left in hevron. those 500 hundred jews who live in hevron today are first and foremost jews. the fact that muslims have not allowed jews to live among them for many years is well known. jews are not allowed even to enter as visitors to many countries. your attempt to claim that the jews of hevron are "settlers" as opposed to jews is indicative of an extreme intolerance on the part of the far left.

T launch an invasion and win from an indefensible border is a study in non-logic. Either you were attacked and lost in 1967 or you were the aggressor and lost in 67 harzion. You cannot win from an indefensible position. Did Israel lose in 1967?

"The majority in Israel supported the pullouts from Sinai and Gaza because we don't have an emotional religious and national attachment to these places." (Erez) Woe to the country whose leaders are led by "emotional religious attachment" into trying to keep forever captive a foreign and stateless people.

h: "gaza is similarly at war with us" No, that can not be true if Israel is still the legal occupying power. Because it is a truism that you can not be simultaneously "the occupying power" over some territory and "at war" with the people in that territory. The very definition of "occupation" and "armed conflict" precludes such a schizoid state of mind. So sorry, harzion, but Israel is still the "occupying power" with respect to Gaza and, as such, it is engaged in fighting "an insurrection" by the Gazans, but it is not fighting "a war" against the Gazans.

h: "somehow mark i am unable to believe your spin.it is far more likely you do not differentiate.far more likely you hate both with equal vigour." Q: how many of those "Jewish settlers" aren't also "Israeli citizens"? Because, harzion, it is a fact that around 50% of all Jews are not "Israeli citizens", so it is a very legitimate question to ask how many of those "settlers" fit into that category of "Jewish, but not Israeli"????? How many, harzion?

h: "mark we withdrew to united nations demarcated borders" The Blue Line was specifically demarked to be that "line of withdrawal", and does not in any way demark "a border". h: "the united nations mapped our new border." The govt of Israel insisted - both at the time and subsequently - that its acceptance of the Blue Line as the "line of withdrawal" did not indicate that Israel was accepting that line as the "new border of Israel" h:"and we did as they asked" The reverse is true: Israel insisted that it would not withdraw its troops unless it would receive a UNSC resolution declaring that the occupation had ended. The UN was, naturally enough, unwilling to provide such a declaration UNLESS the "line of withdrawal" was demarked; hence the need to demark that Blue Line. You have it backwards, harzion, as you always do....

"The arabs and their far left supporters seem to claim that no jews should live in Hevron." (CJK) A despicable lie. No one, not even of the Israeli far-left, has ever claimed such a thing. CJ Kohn will never understand that "Jew" and "Israeli settler" are not two interchangeable terms. What is obvious to people in their right senses, blockheads cannot even begin to grasp.

gaza is similarly at war with us.again the united nations marked the borders and we withdrew.so your criticism is superficial vindictive and entirely without merit.

mark we withdrew to united nations demarcated borders.the united nations mapped our new border.and we did as they asked. hizbillah says it is at war with us.should we have given them the timetable of our return to israel?

mark tells us "jews are welcome but israelis are not" somehow mark i am unable to believe your spin.it is far more likely you do not differentiate.far more likely you hate both with equal vigour.

better let you have some facts on the geography. israelis live on the narrow coastal plain.10 -15 kilometres east of the plain are the highlands of judea.those who control the hills threaten the millions on the coast.that is the threat you call bogus. the lady is far better informed.i am afraid it is you who utterly lacks any knowledge.

since you do not live here mark of lewiston then it costs you nothing to gave us the marvellous benefit of your immense wisdom. should the borders prove dangerous you would dismiss the catastrophe with an "oh well"

The situation started with intolerance of Jews by Arabs, when the European Jews weren't willing to live as dhimmi,subservient to Islam. The early Zionists did such shocking things as having women working along side men in the fields while wearing shorts! It wasn't that the Arabs of pre-state Israel only desired to deny Jews the political right of national self-determination in their ancient homeland, the Arabs intended to deny Jews ALL rights. Arabs weren't motivated by some frustrated nationalism at that time, but rather purely by intolerance.

You claim the 67 Green Line is an indefensible border. That is the most indefensible argument ever made. Israel conquered the Sinai, Gaza, the West Bank and Golan from that line. Most of Israel's withdrawals have been unilateral, without negotiating security agreements or peace. In fact, avoiding negotiating anything - evidence Lebanon and Gaza. Like many, you make no difference in recognition between Israelis and Jews. Jews are welcome in places that Israelis and the Israeli armed forces are distinctly unwelcome. It is the enforcement of Israeliness that is unwelcome.

Bradley,you and your fellow leftist's will not be satisfied and happy unless Israel completely dissapears and becomes palestine

You say people won't debate with you. OK, try this one. How would you feel if Arabs, backed by Saudi money started moving into impoverished Israeli towns and buying up homes and land. Slowly their holdings increased and they managed to persuade the government of Israel to allow more Arab immigrants to immigrate from all over the world. Eventually the groups of Arabs got so large that they began to control whole areas and eventually they said to the Israeli governmet, 'we don't want to be part of Israel any longer, we want our own independenet Muslim homeland, our own Muslim state and we'd like to take half of Israel away to make the new country, and look the UN agrees with us' What would you think of that? Would you say 'OK fair enough, take the land and be free.' Or would you say 'No way, I'm going to defend my country with all means at my disposal'?

hevron is one of the oldest cities in the middle east. it is mentioned in the torah. by tradition, it is regarded as the city of the cave of the patriachs. hevron has been continually inhabited by jews for centuries. there is no doubt that jewish presence in hevron pre-dates muslim presence significantly. in the ninteenth century, there were 10,000 mulims living in the city of hevron. today, hevron is the largest city in the west bank, with an arab population of 166,000. the jewish poopulation is 500. this very small number is still a miracle given the repeated pogroms against jews in the last two centuries. yet, the arabs and their far left supporters seem to claim that no jews should live in hevron. they do not stop to consider that denying 500 jews the right to reside in the second holiest city for judaism is simply intolerable. these arab and leftist bigots would make us believe that the presence of 500 jews among 166,000 arabs, will lead to a regional war. shame.

between the sea and the jordan.israel cannot otherwise retreat.a deal breaker.

if through some miracle israel and the palestinians do arrive at a final peace treaty, then those israeli citizens who find themselves beyond the new boundaries of the jewish state, will have to be accommodated in accordance with the laws of israel and the international laws as applicable to the case. the interests of the state, as embodied by public policy and national security needs must be paramount in this instance. however, the interests of individuals and groups must be safeguarded to the extent possible. these above interests will overlap in many, though not in all instances. where the interests diverge, the state must come to a proper accommodation with the "settlers."

I love the settlers. Wish that some of the leftist insulated writers did as well. Israel wasn't won by timidity.

nearly all, with the exception of the very far left, knows that the so-called green line, i.e., the old armestice line of 1967 is military undefensible. israel cannot give up the seem line territories on her borders under any circumstances. however, if the arabs will not negotiate and do so in good faith, israel might want to reassess her position in the west bank and decide to withdraw to the self-determined border which would serve her security and diplomatic needs the best. any time israel withdrew from captured territory, she did so with the awareness of security paramount for the decision makers. barak did so in south lebanon, sharon did so in gaza, and begin did it in sinai. the abuse of religious israelis residing in judea and samaria is not merited. they were encouraged by the state. the state is responsible for them. if the jewish state arrives, through some miracle, to forge a peace treaty with the palestinians,

the knitted caps are worn by many of the settlers.they now make up 40% of the officers in combat units.their families encourage their sons to enlist.the idf has often said they are the most motivated of israel's fighting men. to make the settlers the subject of abuse is unfair to them and we in turn do ourselves a huge disservice.

seldom debate us.i cannot understand the abuse.how are they going to influence us when they have nothing much to put forward in the way of ideas. israel has said it would leave the bulk of the west bank but our interlocutors do not address this.they react with abuse. i am a land of israel person and i expect nothing else.i do not agree with secular opinion that wishes to leave judea. yet the secular are in the majority.

in the eu's attitude to turkey.the latter begged to be allowed to join the eu but was spurned.for europe turkey is a nation too far. the words of giscard d'estaing of france on turkey for all their elegance are at bottom the words of a racist.

yet tells us not to protect ourselves against the attacks from our neighbours. we offered to leave the bulk of the west bank and were rebuffed.that is the most important factor for us to remember. all else is not important.

yet tells us not to protect ourselves against the attacks from our neighbours. we offered to leave the bulk of the west bank and were rebuffed.that is the most important factor for us to remember. all else is not important.

do not speak for the majority. those who love israel with passion are the ones who will give the nation strength to face the numerous problems the state will have to deal with in the coming years. without the depth of emotion the settlers feel for the state our job would be vastly more difficult.

they're ready to kill for it, and to destroy israel for it; but they're certainly NOT ready to die for it... and it appears that you confuse "jewish emotion" with "zionist fanaticism".

If you feel that I, who came back HOME 50 years ago to live in Medinat Yisrael THE STATE of ISRAEL, is "disobeying" the divine as you put it ...... WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE YOU? Living in the promised land of BROOKLYN!!!! Oh you poor soul!!

Based on your silly ass post I'd say "Masada". The "Low lifes" are those who steal and murder. Did you ever hear the saying, "one monkey don't stop no show", well, a handful of imported alien zealots will not thwart the will of the international community. Two states for two peoples or go back where you came from. Enough bullshit. You guys are NOT at all related to the people who once lived there, you know it and the world knows it. God will clear his land of fraud, deceit, murder and mayhem as he has done in the past. So what's down the road for people who spew BS like you---Masada.

Actually, the settler enterprise is getting stronger, Israel keeps angling to the right, and the left has crumbled. The majority in Israel supported the pullouts from Sinai and Gaza because we don't have an emotional religious and national attachment to these places. Also, the ultimate rationale in evacuating Gaza had to do with the benefits of unloading one million Arabs at the expense of 8,000 Jewish residents. On the other hand, the commitment of the majority in Israel to a continued Jewish presence in Judea and Samaria has only increased and is getting stronger.

they're ready to kill for it, and to destroy israel for it; but they're certainly NOT ready to die for it... it appears that you confuse "jewish emotion" with "zionist fanaticism".

and besides, there IS no divine decree that allows for the desecration of human rights, AND God's OWN laws, that the settlement and settlers represent in the west bank.

"Discriminating between settlers` is not meaningless" - get educated I have been educated. I Know about Kurt Waldheim. I understand about 'good Germans' and 'Good Settlers.' I am not fooled. I am 'educated' 'get educated.'. How is it you have not learned from history? I know, you are not educated.

I think the responses to this article show how Israel is held hostage by the lunatic right and it's crusaders, the Settlers. The best interests of Israelis do not even enter the debate. The debate is over whether the Settlers have a God GIven Right to exterminate Palestinians, or whether Settlers have a God Given right to displace them. In EITHER case, there is NO right of Arabs to live within Judea and Samaria, AND NO RIGHT of Israelis to object. Israel must submit to the Settlers. What the Settlers want is what they MUST get. And what might serve the interest of many times more Israelis is to be subjugated to the desires of the Settlers. A few hundred thousand fanatics control the future of Israel. And the overwhelming majority of Israelis are happy to have those few fanatics decide their future. Were this not true, then Israel would stop them. It does not even oppose them. The Settlers ARE Israel. Get REAL Mr. Burston. Israel will never oppose the Settlers.

Soon, no doubt to your relief, I shall stop reading your site----and will therefore be less informed. You have failed to accept my input for the last 10 or so times. You want to control the message, just as AIPAC does in America! Too bad.

Bradley, you are precisely correct. However , if the settlers would read your article they might learn of past mistakes and change their behavior. The truth is that 30-40% of the Israeli public have some religous affiliation directly. I saw a poll in the Yidioth showing that close 90% fast Yom Kipur. Which means that most of Israelis also have some affiliation with religion and our Jewish and ancestral roots. The biggest problem is that there is no unity. Mafdal disintegrated into small splinter groups. The haredim and Shas ,for a few dollars forget any other issue. If all Israelis with religous or Jewish sentiments would get together they would find the way to rid themselves of tyrants with leftist views who has become the defacto PM of Israel. Bibi who succumbs to pressure, made a 30 member cabinet, who gave Barak sweeping powers ,to gain the PM chair and hold the gavel on Sunday's meeting.He should have become a PR man and never a PM. However , in the current atmosphere, as much as

"Israel will never cut off welfare for settlers .." Why Israel should 'cut off welfare' for settlers ... ) ? No country 'cut off welfare' even for criminals .. Settlers are still Israeli citizens and very much so than many others ! That is what one may call it a post by a tired mind !

mr bradley your article is just awfully strange odd to read you and your opinions about the lack of existence of the israeli left or right for that matter your opinions are strange and not understandable by any standart of cultural report or whatever "feeling" this is supposed to awake in us the readers disappointed.

and besides, there IS no divine decree that allows for the desecration of human rights, AND God's OWN laws, that the settlement and settlers represent in the west bank.

Let me answer your questions: 1. the answer is no. Israel was 10 miles wide from east to west and it was very easy for Arab armies to march into the land. Since their stated aim was to drive Jews into the sea, an aim they have never denounced, moving to the old borders threatens the life of every Jew in Israel 2. The state of Israel has still not been able to provide homes for the people it drove out of Gaza to make room for Arabs. There are hundreds of thousands of "settlers" who would require homes if they were driven from their lands. It would not be cheaper for example to move people from East Jerusalem would be very expensive. Housing in that city is really costly. 3 I do not think, based on the history of the comparatively few people who were driven from Gaza, that those living in Yesha would accept the word of a government that they would find new homes.

In case you weren't aware, the 'west bank' includes JUDEA and Jerusalem: uh...Jewish property, no doubt about it: proven by antiquity and history. Why would Jews ever leave a land that has been theirs for 3,000+ years? The settler protests only strengthen the resolve of the growing number of Jews willing to fight and die for their land. There will be no West Bank pullout: no due to internal pressure, palestinian pressure or international pressure. We got our land back the palestinians got Jordan: end of story. Enough with these absurd negotiations and ridiculous articles already. Get a clue.

the UN has no jurisdiction to give land to immigrants.

This is not a matter fo whether Jews have a right to their ancestral homeland. It's a matter of political reality. The behavior of the settlers is simply undermining Israel's ability to negotiate an optimal territorial settlement. Kapish?

This is so simple. If settlers settle on legally acquired land make it clear to the settlers that if the land upon which they reside eventually becomes part of a Palestinian state, these settlers will become Palestinians. They will be Palestinian Jews who will travel on Palestinian passports and spend Palestinian currency. They`ll see Palestinian doctors in Palestinian hospitals. Palestinian police will investigate crime and Palestinian firefighters will put out their fires. They`ll pay taxes to Palestine and use Palestinian postage. Israel has Arabs. Palestine will have Jews. It`s exactly the same thing. Settlers,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, enjoy!!!

happy with the Burston's 80% solution . If that would be the case then it could of been solved a long time ego . After 1967 war Israel offered to give back everything for a plain piece of paper with a peace treaty on it , but Arabs refused it without even a contra offer . They wanted and still want every inch including Tel Aviv , Jerusalem , Haifa .....and even after that they will keep on killing each other . Yes , I am bitter at the Arabs for a reason .

"..... , but when it comes to 3500 years of prophecy and low-life civilizations...." Well, Paul, remember what happened to the 3500 years of prophecy in 70 CE and again 136 CE when the "high-life civilization" went against the low-life civilizations.... Not very smart then - smarter now ? David

The creation of a state for themselves . They , and it is an unspoken truth , never genuinely wanted a state and never will . At every turn they will put stumbling blocks to prevent that disaster . It is much more comfy to live with nagging and grievances while freeloading and corrupting then to be responsible for governing a state . Their intransigence over the years clearly point to that direction . Israelis wishfully think that a state will give Arabs what they want . Dream on ...

those settlers in the parts of palestine recogonized by the UN called 'israel' are legal (its still stolen as far as i am conserned)....those squatters in the land set aside for a palestinian state are not legal by the UN, international law, and not even by the israeli courts....got it now?

but there's a slow shift here as more and more US jews are also getting 'fed up' with these right wing antics... must be that a higher percentage of the 'kooks' make Aliyah, or? It does make one understand, as it unfolds, the internal schisms that must have prevented the Jewish populations of Europe in resisting the Nazis efforts... had one been a 'fly on the wall' one can imagine the wailing argumentation, and then the doing nothing... except collaborating in selecting those of their community for the next box-car 'resettlement quota'

"If you do not beleive in the Jewish divine given right to live in any part of Israel" Israel is this much, no more, no less. http://tinyurl.com/yjgh5lj

If this not racist then what is? This sounds like Hitler talking abount the Arian Race

It is hard to write what probably is close to the surface of both sides of the arguement. One side says we will eventually kick the Arabs out of our land. The other side thinks I am stuck with more Arabs and you tax sucking religious fanatics.

"Trust the settlers, though, they alone will make it possible. Sooner or later, they'll lose the west bank all by themselves" Bradley Burston. Israel was built by 3000 years of jewish unity! This unity started to erode by the appeasement of the Left. The Left failed to prove themselves right and they handed over to the prophets of doom. Those who failed to bring any Peace they are living in a sower grape. They blame the Right who managed to make the only Peace that matters with Egypt ? Now, they are blaming the 'settlers'; as if themselves are not 'settlers' ! They or their fathers came to save their lives! The prophets of doom know only two things : appeasement & blaming the Right. What benefit themselves & israel will gain from such an attitude! A question they must be afraid to ask themselves ! Because the answer will only shame them! The hundred of thousands citizens of Israel in the West Bank will give another shinning victory to Israel.Because Israel is their only HOME.

sudetenland and 1938 stalks the corridors in ghostly fashion!! foreigners giving away the land that has nothing to do with them in any way !!!!!!!!!!!

Whats the difference between settlers in West Bank and settlers elsewhere in Palestine?

Maybe the right does not know how to effectively fight for what they believe. Maybe the Israeli media and Supreme Court are stacked against them. One thing I am sure is that if we lose Yehuda and Shomron it will not be the end and we will eventually lose the entire Jewish State.

Don't want to burst your bubble, but the majority doesn't rule anywhere in the world. There are the power brokers and the clueless media controlled masses. The majority has never been right, just like might does not make right, the majority does not make it right. What is right is natural law, and that law is going to shed your illusions of what is right and wrong. The settlers and the Jewish nation will support them in the end, because they will see where what the world really has in mind for Jews.

Living so far away (etc.) I am in no way qualified to either question the accuracy of Mr. Burston's recital of past events or the reasonableness of his conclusions...BUT (and my daddy always told me to perk my ears up when I heard a fella say "but") what I didn't hear analyzed (unless I missed it) was what (if any) the difference in the sheer number of settlers to be potentially effected this time (as compared to the previous times cited) might have on the situation as a whole. (Then again, I've been accused more than once of being hopelessly "nit-picky.")

Israel will never cut off the Welfare for Settlers much less stand up to them.

day". Sir, Your wish to learn about far away very small country is really impressive. Unfortunately the source you use have very distant relation to the reality - rather it is the place to meet and study the particular crowd with exaggerated need to express its otherwise repressed violent hate of the particular ethnicity. I hope you'll find the appropriate opportunities to learn about the country, its achievements and its problems.

Sinai had nothing to do with the settlers, but Begin's collapse under Carter's pressure. Gaza, same story, except Sharon was the one who immplemented the pullout, and it was not even Bush's suggestion. Golan -well, Bradley forgets how the Am im HaGolan campaign closed the discussions under the rabin/peres and Barak governments. And WB - well, it is a qn of whether Bibi cracks, and he is not a reliable leader. But hwo has the settler movement caused this? Dumb logic.

Yes and Yes.

A few hundred thousand fanatics are holding millions hostage and causing death and suffering daily.

Churchill once famously described the Balkans as an area that produces more history than it can digest. Israel is an area that produces more religion than it can digest.

Got news for you 1) the US is being ruled by the same minority. And 2) Paul is right, insofar as what is coming down the road, unless Netanyahu backs off entirely, something he is very likely to do. American media won't say anything. (Surely won't call that backtracking "unprecedented.")

"...the contingencies of a congressional election less than 11 months from now." Jewish money controls US elections? Jews control the US government?

Burston ignores the obvious: the totally useless leadership that the Yesha COuncil is forcing on the residents of Judea and Samaria. As many people have pointed out, they are a self-appointed group with no mandate and no accountability. They have pissed away tens of millions of dollars over the years and have nothing but total failure to show since Oslo. There are almost no new settlements. Existing settlements can't even build within their own borders. And, of course, they lost all of the 21 settlements in Gaza and thousands of Israeli Gazans are still without work or homes, and the Yesha Council has done nothing for them. What do they propose now? Thaw the freeze? Oy va voy aleynu! (woe to us, for you non Hebrew speakers)

How is it possible that 290.000 people determine the faith of 7.5 million? How can you defend this kind undemocratic thinking. The majority of Israel is being ruled by a minority. Time for real democratics and to draw back to the original borders to and to give them the right to govern themselves. We also kicked out the British because of the same desire, so why be surprised if they have the same need for self-governance.

All I know of Israel comes from reading Haaretz every day. Questions: 1) In the long view, will it not be in Israel's best interest to withdraw to the pre 67 borders? 2) In order acheive this could the Israeli state not offer the settlers nice homes on good land within the 67 borders along with money for relocation? Wouldn't this be much cheaper in the long run? 3) Would the settlers not accept this?

There are no settlers in the West Bank.The Jews that live there,are returning citizens.The settlers live in Tel-Aviv.If you do not beleive in the Jewish divine given right to live in any part of Israel,you should return to your land of origin,and give your home to a Arab.Jews who disobey the divine will cause all the problems for Judaism.

Wow! I know there are Jews disconnected from Jewish emotions and thoughts, but Bradley really wins the prize. The settlers are fully aware of what the superficial, hateful world thinks of them, and they are ready to die on this issue. Perhaps Gay rights, and abortion is an issue that secularists can relate to, as an analogy, but when it comes to 3500 years of prophecy and low-life civilizations trying to kill truth, we all have waited with bated breathe for this moment, and you in your widest dreams could never imagine what is down the road.

As succinct and insightful as ever, Mr. Burston. But to my mind, there is one thing that will make the Israeli public baulk over further settlement withdrawals, and that is the state's inability to resettle those it pulls out of their homes and livelihoods. Fix that problem, and the path is clear to a peace deal.

Yes, it's complicated from all perspectives; and if a two state solution emerges then it's even more complicated. In the end, the sttlements are illegal and a barrier to making peace. Costs will be significantly high in removing settlements or protecting..and there will be violence among settlers and Israeli army personnel. What a screwed up mess.

"there are many in Israel who see a more urgent need for a Palestinian state at this point, than do many Palestinians" The truest statement I've seen for a long time and the unspoken secret that underlies the failure to achieve peace and the missteps of the West to push it forward - they are pressuring the wrong party. As far as the Palestinians are concerned time is on their side.