A neighbor's view

Yes, the arresting of all the opposition is contrary to all western norms but when the first intifada started in both Egypt and Israel the Egyptians shot three people dead on the spot. Result: no intifada. Israel arrested some of the demonstrators and let them go after a few days. Result: endless misery. I must say I see Egypt's point though I wouldn't endorse their action for the world.

Your thesis is that Israel can prevent Egypt from allowing food and medicines in but cannot prevent it from allowing weapons in and you see all of this from Washington. You expect Israel to open the crossings at Karni and at Erez to a nation that is holding a soldier incommunicado against all the rules of war and humanity and is bombarding Israel with rockets, in pathetic defiance. If I slap your face and hold a member of your family prisoner with no rights of access I suppose you expect me to bring you chocolates and flowers. I don't turn the other cheek, Pamela. I am not a fool.

How could anybody not want to solve the pressing problems of our area? Don't you see that the trouble is that people don't want a solution, they want a victory for their side? It is a matter of pride to all the participants not to let the other side get away with anything. The Palestinians have painted themselves into a corner of indignation and hatred, trapping all their people with them behind the sticky line. Israel's leaders at the moment have no backbone or will to do anything positive, though the Israeli people grow more and more restive at the lack of resolution. In the meantime Russia is interfering with the politics of the area again, hoping to exercise its influence and become a superpower if not at home, then abroad once more.

"Many Arab intellectuals say that Israel fears peace, since it would free you for the first time to deal with your internal differences - the differences between Ashkenazim and Sephardim; your racist attitude toward Ethiopian Jews; the rejection of Zionism by ultra-Orthodox Jews - all of these constitute significant problems..." One hopes that this perceptive reading is shared by some Israeli intellectuals who will speedily come out of the woodwork to supply some home-grown solutions to these festering sores. Israeli not-so-intellectuals like myself can only join with well-intentioned neighbors in pointing out that inner strength is a vital constituent of true strength. These problems need to be addressed in parallel with, not after, the security threat.

Arrest all the opposition, right on. This is the shining light to take an example or advice from? whew.

ahmadinejad's views about the number of jews killed in the holocaust is wrong but to compare him to the nazis is misleading. as the israeli ambassador to the US correctly has said, after israel, there are more jews living in Iran today than anywhere in the middle east without any persecution. also, ahamadinejad's personal views are irrelvant as the president in Iran has no power or say about foregin policy as all power is vested in the supreme leader

What pious, hypocritical nonsense. Anyone who says that "Force will never be an answer" is so full of it that one must assume he/she is acting in bad faith. If force were not the answer, organizations like the Mafia, Hezbollah, Al-queda, the Muslim brotherhood, and the Mossad would not exist. If force is not the answer to YOUR problem, it is only because you don't have the ability to apply enough of it. Force is such a good answer that the US is spending more than a half trillon dollars a year in its defense budget and is giving billions in military aid to the Egyptian government. Not sure if the world would be that much better off if there were no "acts of force", but it sure would benefit from a bit more honesty.

While peace is an enviable goal. Egypt has FAILED to lived up to its requirements under its peace agreement with Israel and to my chagrin, still received aid from US. If the Arabs ever really wanted peace it would have happened. For the past 100 years they have been offered it and refused. Yes, I mean 100 years. Its time to end this experiment in creating another Arab Palestinian state. Two states, Israel and Jordan Palestine, not three. If the Arabs wanted another Arab Palestinian state they could have had one in the 20s through 67. Those days are over. As for Syria and the Golan, Syria has no more claim to the Golan than Israel. If Syria wanted peace it could make it, but they dont want peace.

great advice for all muslim men. and stay with one married woman. preferably one who is educated. and give her a break, she is not your child production machine. if you do not, your societies and religion would fall apart before the clock rings 2025.

The ability to doubt things and to ask critical questions is not only the core of science, but also the core of true consciense. It's daring because sometimes the conclusions doesn't add up with ones preconceptions. Maimonides is an example of a philosopher who stayed humble in his endeavour and proposed to keep to logical argumentation, even though it wasn't always in accordance with his belief system. In this way he accepted the limits of the human mind, stayed truthful the best he could and left room for the unexplained. Maybe if people practised more science instead of building ideological superstructures which tries to encompass everything according to wish and accepts eachothers and their own humanity the world would be more peaceful. Try to put the anxiety and the resulting animosity aside sometimes and glare at the multitudes of the stares at night. It's good for the soul.

the best solution for all is if the pals join Israel and form one nation one state, and forget about the so called Arab for the time being.The Arab world is in total disaaryyy...... This type fo Israel will be the catalyst , given time, for the rest of the Arab world to follow , and join this new Israel in a new ME and all should forget about relegions . or just take relegion out of politics

"Since the armies of 'Allah'rode into Jerusalem in 639ad" Fox.What about the Army of Jordan in 1948 ? That is not ancient history. That History in our life time. Furthermore: *Palestine is not an Arabic name, so why the Arab claim it as thir own land. *There was no country in History that was called Palestine with its capital Jerusalem. *When Jordan occupied that piece of land it was part of Jordan included in its map.No intifatha no suicide bombers, no shoot was fired,no libaration movement to free it from Jordan, no flag of its own, nothing. *If there was an Arab country called Palestine question asked: What was its flag,what was its currency,who was its first king or head of state where is its map and international borders, where in history'Palestine'was recognized as an independent state ? 'Palestine'is a con-artist'lie'invented by 0-rate political adventurers in the band-wagon of anti-Judaism. Shame on those who were swindled by such an international 'Lie

PETER, you know exactly what the other Peter meant. I bet you are the kind of person who criticizes someone's tie when you see yourself losing an argument. I know, I know, I used the word "bet" which is a noun that refers to a wager and since no exchange of currency has taken place between us, this response is nonsensical, ergo, you will not dignify it with an answer.

You make it sound so easy..so..why doesn't it happen more often, if it is that simple? Say you and I disagree on something. You will tell me that you rely on facts and not emotion becaused you are convinced of it, and I will tell you that you are wrong because I too am convinced and that it is I that rely on facts and not emotion. You are convinced that I rely on fantasy and I will be just as convinced that it is you that relies on fantasy. Now what? You assume that if you wait long enough that I will see my error while I wll just as patiently wait for you to see your error. What now? You are not giving us an answer, you are giving us a sympton of the problem. You probably think my response doesn't make sense while I think your response doesn,t make sense, thus, we go around in circles again.

"Israel must see the partner in its enemy" "(nothing) can stop radicalism only peace,education (etc..) Hot Air!The Middle East full of them Sharif Hafez should lecture his brothers and not Israel By the look of it they need them more than Israel. Where is the 'Peace & Education' Hafez calling for in this sea of hate called the M.E ? As for the'Dreams',mentioned in his editorial,yes plenty of it;dreams of killing, revenage, destruction, cunning, martyrdom, . The Middle East is doomed. Ask anyone he will tell you that. It is a case of a hopless social and anti-rational illness The Reason ? The Middle East was so much left behind since the Idustrial Revolution, now it is impossible to catch up .A battle field where nothing grow except blood and fire. It passes redemption.Today millions left Iraq soon multi-millions will leave to all corners of the Globe seeking peace and real dreams. The Arabs must see the real truth in temselves.

Tali Whatever it means,no doubt he would get the gist of it. Your response says it all,thank you. I sent a response and it wasn't put out.It was on the same line as yours. Most probably it was not put out because I said what I really thought about the writer,and his article.At least you managed to have yours put out.Small miracles do happen with Haaretz,depending who is operating the talkbacks,hmmm? What is annoying is that they come here and other places and lecture us,before looking into their own backyards,and sort out his problems first,and stop patronizing us. If he took offence,serves him right! Hey Talkback Operator!Let us see you be brave enough to put this one out...

Don't listen to this nonsense... Stop calling on Israel to do this and do that. It's time for the Arab and Muslim world to do this, and this, and this, and many more thats. Considering that Islam is the main source of misery on the planet right now, it is always surprising to see people buy into this idiotic crap by Arab and/or Muslim academics. Drop this BS already. The appropriate reply to Hafez would be: "It is time for the Arab world to lay down its endless hostility and to stop obsessing with Israel. It is time for the Arab world to address its own myriad problems. Cut the XXXX already, we've heard enough from you 'moderates'."

A well worn tried and true mode of response when one has nothing of substance to say.

I suppose you are making a clever allusion, in comparing the politics of Israel's imperial conquest in Palestine to a form of art, to Walter Benjamin?s 1936 essay ?The Work of Art in an age of Mechanical Reproduction?? If so let me illuminate the obscurity of the allusion. Benjamin, a refugee and victim of Nazism some years later, argued that man?s self-alienation has reached a point where we celebrate our self-destruction as a work of art, producing, -the situation of politics which Fascism is rendering aesthetic; Communism responds by politicizing art.? Since you take a Parthian shot at leftists, I presume you mean that Israel?s destruction of Palestinian lives is an act of Fascist aesthetics, which you approve of? In English discourse that is, unfortunately, what your remark implies.

You wrote: "We don`t starve children, their government does by preferring to buy weapons rather than food and medicine for its population. If you are talking about Gaza: isn`t your crossing with them open at Rafiah? Why don`t you allow food through? Why don`t you provide the things you see as so necessary?" Margie, Rafah has been mostly closed since the disengagement, and this is Israel's doing. My God, haven't you paid any attention? Egypt has no power to force Israel to let food and imports in and exports out. This is purely Israel's doing, and was even before Hamas was elected. Hamas just gave Israel a new excuse. Gaza is OCCUPIED BY A FOREIGN ARMY. Gazans can't come in or leave or even use electricity without Israel's say-so. If you don't understand this, you are being willfully blind. If you don't think Israel has responsibility for the civilians she occupies, wow. Typical of the whole problem. Free Palestine, reap peace and security.

-What makes it a myth is a very simple chain of events that did not occur - Most of your sense of history, like your prose, is devoid of meaning. An event is something that occurs. Yet you write of a -chain of events that did not occur - i.e. nonsensical. You also say that the chain of events that did not occur "made" a myth. If the events that occurred did not occur, how could they have "made" anything. I won't parse the rest. But advise you to google up (you evidently don't read books) something on international law.

Mr. Hafez has a lot of nerve giving us advice. He comes from a country whose army trains to attack us, publishes anti-semitic articles in its media, allows weapons to be smuggled into Gaza, supports anti-Israeli initiatives in the UN, and whose "democratic opposition" has called for an end to our peace treaty. He tells us about "painful concessions" - where are the painful concessions from the Arabs? Strange, all the concessions are on our side. He repeats the same fairy tale that Israel is the main problem in the Middle East. It does not take much insight to see that the Arab world is the most dysfunctional region on earth. He also forgets that we have waged one war after another because we were attacked by our neighbors. Mr. Hafez wants us to support moderates - he's just afraid the Islamic crazies are winning because, like Fatah, the moderate elites in the Arab world have made a mess through corruption, incompetance, and mismanagement. I'm your neighbor & that's my view.

When will the palestian school books stop saying Israel has no right to exist? When will hamas say that 2 states will be an end to the conflict will oficialy recognise Israel has a right to exist? When will Egypt stop showing tv shows based on the blood libel? When will Iran stop calling for Israels destruction and denying the holocaust happened? When will countries like Syria stop supporting terror if its serious about peace why not proove it a good stasrt would be to end all contact with hezbollah and hamas? When will the arabs stop seeing peace as a list of demands to be met by Israel in full or there will be terrorism. Peace making isnt about simply listing demands backed up by threats of terror. The only arab leader who wanted peace for the sake of peace was King Hussain and since his death there have been no more arab leaders like him.

The arab legue peace initiatve = peace on arab terms no room for Israel to negotiate a better deal for itself the arabs have decided what shall be the conditions and Israel must take it or leave it. A WMDS free zone in the ME a very noble proposal why not get Iran and the rest of the arab states with WMDS to formerly accept this first. Very convenient for the arabs who dont have neuclear weapons want a region free of neuclear weapons but its only Israel that makes the sacrifices. Israel gave Arafat years of treating him as a partner for peace and the end result was the intefada not peace. Sharon tried talking to Abu Mezen but he didnt fufill his part to abide by the roadmap either because he didnt have the will to do his part or because his politcal influence was not strong enough. Hamas refuse to end terror, they dont recognise Israel and have officialy said 2 states doesnt mean the end of the conflict how can a group like that be seen or treated as a partner for peace?

What makes it a myth is a very simple chain of events that did not occur. There never was a creation of an arab palestine. For sixty years we hear of the "sin" that is Israel and the efforts of the arabs to eliminate this country. First it was physical war, then it became delegitimization of the country, but the essential song remains the same. What is neglected is the arab portion of partitioned palestine. They never manifested or exercised any form of "national will" or self-determination as "palestinians". Lets remember, syria, jordan, iraq, lebanon, saudi arabia were all created on or about the same time as Israel, yet no "palestine" on the arab portion of partitioned palestine.

-Figure fishy- The authors are, or were economics professors. Haim Darin-Drabkin headed the Institute for Land Resource Planning in Tel Aviv at the time. Check it out. You want me to read up about dhimmis. I have, and the record tells me that Jews and Christians historically were better treated under Islamic law than either were under the Christian dispensation. It?s rather like someone reciting mitzvoth nos.596,597,598,599 to prove Jews generally, instead of West bank religious thugs, believe in a genocidal approach to the Palestinians. Or Christians pointing at the Birkat ha-minim, the twelth benediction of Amidah, to prove Jews are what the Protocols say they are. Figure fishy- The authors are, or were economics professors. Haim Darin-Drabkin headed the Institute for Land Resource Planning in Tel Aviv at the time. Check it out. You want me to read up about dhimmis. I have. The record shows that Jews and Christians historically were better treated under Islamic law than Jews or Moslems were under the Christian dispensation. It?s rather like someone reciting mitzvoth nos.596,597 to prove Jews generally, instead of West bank religious thugs, believe in a genocidal approach to the Palestinians. Or Christians pointing at the Birkat ha-minim, the twelth benediction of Amidah, to prove Jews hate Castholics. You speak of the Pal(estinian)s general outlook. I much prefer to hear what they have to say. They have no need of foreign interpreters. In their diaspora I?ve met a great variety, from youths studying to fight in the ranks of Al Fatah, to Christians kicked out of Jerusalem by Israel?s bureaucracy. They are as varied as Jews are, but generally resent the fact that they have been forced to give up their homes and gardens to accommodate middle-class immigrants from the US or Israel, while they starve on as hardscrabble peasants.

We assume that you present sincere opinion regarding this conflict. Do you know that many Germans opposed Hitler?s plan to annihilate Jewish people? I am not sure that you can talk for majority of Arabs. Saudi initiative includes return to borders 1967. Is this historical border, or divine separation between Arabs & Jews? Would you like to enter a few millions of Palestinians into tiny country of Israel? Can we live with them together? Look what is going in Iraq where Muslims kill Muslims. Can you or anybody else guarantee peace & tranquility is such multinational, multicultural state? We justly believe that this initiative is a poorly hidden invitation for the national suicide. And, yes, we remember Holocaust & we are determined not to allow it again. As a scientist to scientist I will tell you ? stop terror, accept our right to exist, be ready for compromise, and then we can talk seriously about our mutual problem of coexistence in secured world.

When does occupation emulate art? when it is politicized. Peter wrote that I accept Israeli "occupation" but not that of the Ottomons. The truth is Peter, I see occupation as art. To some it is horrible, while to others occupation is to be something glorified. Take for example the occupation of Eastern Europe. The Americans were not happy with this occupation, nor were the occupied, but the leftists elements, propelled by the Soviets never raised a peep to this fifty year old occupation. Why Peter. Moslems glorify the occuaption of Jerusalem by Suliman, a Moslem. they were then content to live under succeeeding Moslem conquests for a thousand years. Why? Since the armies of "Allah" rode into Jerusalem in 639 ad, the population in the area has sat on their hands accepting their meagre incomes, their high taxes and general loss of authority over their day to day. Now occupation under the Jews, has become the dirtiest word in the leftist lexicon. Why?

Peter I cannot argue with your figures taken from a book I am unfamiliar with, both the book, the research and the authors, but the 29 % figure seems rather fishy. As for your cliam that the "Moslem" occupation versus the Jewish occupation is irrelevant? hogwash, it is enormously important. I would recommend you read an essay by Nathan Weinstock (writer of Zionism, False Messiah), he has written "Stories of Dogs" which discusses the place of the dhimmi (Jew or Christian) in Moslem and Arab thinking. Once again I find myself talking with someone who conveniently removes the human factor from the equation. King QAbadallah and his son Hussein were both deemed the "Protectors of Jerusalem", up until the late eighties. the Pals on the most part see themselves very much a part of the Arab and Moslem world, to deem this a non-sequitir, is to be dishonest. As for "occupation" Arabs see the Moslem conquests as heroric and quite acceptable.

Dear Margie, You seem like a very intelligent woman. Don't you ever want to admit that the refugee problem must be adressed somehow? You cannot chase people from their homes and confiscate their property and hope to get away with it. This issue will never go away if it is not addressed in a comprehensive peace agreement. Guido

Islam is worthy of respect, but not where Islam shows disrepect for elemental human rights. Part of the reason the Arab nations have invested so heavily in fighting against Israel every step of the way is their unwillingness to grant rights to those who under Islam are merely tolerated. Islam's tradition however is also politically realistic. Relying on the United States with a Democratic Party that can only win back the White House on an anti Iraq war campaign is not going to be strategically secure for Israel. Both Israel and the USA could benefit from Hudna's negotiated with various Muslim players on the basis of realism, without sacrificing principle.

-Peter, Israel is not the first "occupier" of so-called "Palestine", but it happens to be the first non=Moslem occupier in one thousand years.- You seem to confuse demographic realities with religious labels. The majority of Palestinians were Moslem, mind you, of very distinct varieties, and not very orthodox. So you cannot speak historically of Moslems 'occupying' a Moslem people: that is, technically, a non-sequitur. Secondly, since you parallel Jewish occupation of Palestine (West Bank and Gaza) to the Ottoman occupation, approve of the former, but deplore the latter, I'd appreciate an explanation as to why Jewish occupation is laudable, and Turkish occupation repugnant?

Dear friend If anybody is taking refuge in lying in israeli-arab conflicts,they are not Jews, but Arabs. I remember all the wars and all your " victories". May be not you, but your propaganda has always been lying and you have only false information. False information, it means, erroneous opinion. Would you kindly inform me whether majority of egyptians are thinking like you?

That peace proposal we scoffed at wanted a Palestinian state AND the full rights of all Palestinians to return to Israel: two Palestinian states eventually, in effect given the Pal birthrate. I have read the call to Pal women to battle with their wombs. Some opportunities are better missed.

-"Palestine" was occupied by the Jordanians. It was called Jordan, not Palestine.- Palestinians were schooled indeed under the Jordanian educational authority together with Unrwa. I referred erroneously to Flapan, a slip for another book which I will now cite. -In comparison with both Israel and Jordan, the West Bank and Gaza seem to have a favourable educational basis. The age group 6-11 shows a higher participation in Israel (84.4) than in the West Bank (80.5) but, in the group 15-17 years of age, the percentage in the West Bank is considerably higher than in Israel, 44.6 compared with 22.6 in Israel-The economic case for Palestine' by Elias H.Tuma and Haim Darin-Drabkin, London 1978 p.48

The day oil becomes a useless product in world economies, that shall be the day there shall be peace in the MidEast. That's the day when the US will have no vested interests in the region, and therefore no reason to give a blanko cheque to Israel to commit horrendous crimes. Hence, let all peace loving citizens of the world find an alternative to oil.

The foolish Olmert troika has completely failed against Hizbullah. With the help of UNIFIL Hizbullah has now medium range missiles that can reach Dimona, Ovda and even Cyprus. If Iran feels threatened by the US, not 4.000 but 40.000 missiles will come down on Israel, from Lebanon, Syria, Gaza and The West Bank. The Israeli leadership is looking for a sex partner (see Katzav, Ramon). To go for a real peace, Israel must elect a new government, this is of utmost importance! Not all can be winners: Surely not Hizbullah and Hamas, this must be stopped. Israel must forge a coalition with the moderate Arab countries against Iran. This is underway, but due to the troika’s impotence will not bring results. So you see, the article isn’t so bad after all!

He meddled where his opinion was not asked for. The strongest need in the world right is the the right to criticize Islam. As long as this right does not exist (because of fear of violence) no one in the world is free.

Withdrawal from Gaza wasn't a painful concession? When has there ever been an Arab concession? Letting Israel survive is a concession? And then to say that Israel doesn't want peace because it will have to deal with its internal problems. If true, this could be said tenfold about the Arab regimes. The truth is Israel has to deal with these problems even as it does deal with the foreign threats.

Wolverine I would like to reply, and I appreciate irony, but ironies subtracted, your post is meaningless, though literate. Try again

You assert that "Palestinian" educational standards were on par with Israel in the 60's, before the occupation. Peter, you nuts? In the sixties "Palestine" was occupied by the Jordanians. It was called Jordan, not Palestine. As for educational standards, they fell apart no because of Israeli "occupation" but due to the stupidity of the PLO, which had total control over education in the nineties. Since you like numbers, how about before the latest intifada. Unemployment in the territories in '99 was below ten percent, not bad, better than France. The GNP has also suffered horribly and this is not due to "occupation" but due to the violence of the intifada. Peter, Israel is not the first "occupier" of so-called "Palestine", but it happens to be the first non=Moslem occupier in one thousand years. And that is the jist of the problem. The Pals have never had a problem with Moslem occupiers, they kept them poor and never offered them any autonomy nor the vote

Sharif Hafez is right. The biggest mistake we ever made was scoffing at the Saudi proposal in 2002. It's gotten to be such a habit that recently we scoffed at TWO peace proposals (Assad and Amr Moussa) in one day. We are idiots. Marty

What "occupation" would you be talking about Peter? The occupation of Judea and Samaria by the Arabs? Because that's the only one that is taking place in the region unless you count the Coalition occupation of Iraq.

You assert, and fail to corroborate. Therefore your arguments are merely casual, off-the-cuff opinions, noise in the atmosphere. As indeed my own are here. But, if, for example, I assert that Palestinian educational standards were as high as the Israeli average in the 1960s, before the occupation, I do so with Simha Flapan's -When Enemies Dare to Talk- in mind. Israel is creating, via its pogroms, a Palestinian diaspora, and it amazes me how many of you fail to observe the obvious, uncanny similarities between the Roman repression of Judea, and Israel's oppression of Palestine. But then, as the motor car man said: 'History is bunk'

Your Mexico/US comparison to teh Palestine/Israel issue is very interesting. It does actually present a very salient point: If this is presented by you as a serious argument then it is proof that you really are an intellectual cripple.

"...starved to death and decapitated by Israeli missiles....for no reason other than being "goyem."" - Egyptian Student No other reason at all. Oh, except for being terrorists and terrorist supporters and caling for the death of Jews and destruction of Israel. No other reason aside from that one. You are not, I assume, a straight 'A' student?

Your " undisputed historical facts " vis a vis Israel and Palestine , are in fact VERY MUCH DISPUTED ! What do you think this forum is all about ? It is delusional to compare the REALITY of the Holocaust with the MYTHINFORMATION of Israeli imperialism. I am also not aware of any concessions that Israel is asking of Iran, that according to you gives Ahmadinejad the right to deny the Holocaust. Your posts are literate, however they are missing a key ingredient... the truth ! Meat without salt is rather flavorless.

Ahmadinejad denies a historical fact. In your own many posts, you deny undisputed historical facts. He denies the Holocaust, you deny that the Palestinians have endured several decades of destructive attacks on, and strategic appropriations of, their land. Many Arabs or Iranians refuse the truth of the Holocaust because it is thrown at them in order to exact concessions. You refuse the truth of Israel's imperial rampage through the Palestinian territories because to admit that would weaken your case for Israel. You are, in this sense, on a par with your Iranian adversary.

What an inane comparison, that only your ususal spin would justify. How many Mexican homocide bombers have you tallied? How many rockets have the Mexicans directed to-ward California? How many American soldiers have been kidnapped by the Mexicans? and... how many Mexicans have threatened to kill every American??? I have not forgotten that you refused to answer my question regarding Israel's right to exist. Your lack of response meant nada! Please....

Unlike other organizations on the planet -- Hamas is purely and simply a terrorist organization intent on wiping out Israel. There is no partner in Hamas - only an enemy!

if you want to live in peace. Media reports, dated 01/10/2006, state; IDF demolished Palestinian outdoor toilets (provided by international NGO's) in the 1 000 year old village of At-Tuwani beacause they (the toilets) did not have Israeli permits. Surely there is a looming epidemic threatening Palestinians - especially as they are WITHOUT electricity, a plentiful supply of running water, fresh food, and medical care - COMPLIMENTS OF IDF! The backwash is sure to run back at Palestines bad neighbour - epidemics have a way of seeping through apartheid walls. AND just for good measure, the IDF demolished the home of the Mayor, and the place of worship at Tawani villiage!!!!!

Your newspapers are clearly full of spin and you believe them. We don't starve children, their government does by preferring to buy weapons rather than food and medicine for its population. If you are talking about Gaza: isn't your crossing with them open at Rafiah? Why don't you allow food through? Why don't you provide the things you see as so necessary? They are your neighbours just as they are ours. These are your Arab brothers aren't they? Why don't you provide work for the adults? Isn't your bleeding heart generous enough to do the things you see us as not doing?

'It will be in your best interest and ours, as moderate Arabs, to elect a pragmatic new or old Israeli leader, with vision, courage, confidence, determination, morality and decisiveness...' Now if only the Palestinians could elect a leader with those qualities too.Maybe Sharif Hafez should start with that. I dont disagree with the sentiments he expresses but it takes two to tango.There is no leader,not Abbas and not Haniyeh,so far that Israel can make a deal with. Hafez find someone on the Palestinian side that has these qualities and we will make peace.

The article is more moderate than many others. Still it talks only about Israel "behaviour", what about Arabs: kidnappings, crimes, refusal of recognition, rockets, etc? I am still waiting to see an Arab intellectual with the courage to recognize some mistakes. The confusion between Israel self-defense actions and intransigence is political. Nobody can seriously believe that Israel does not look for peace: it has repeatedly accepted partition/ a second state, it has given back significant lands won in wars for peace (very few countries have done that in history & only against other benefits), it has left Gaza, accepted that it will be "Judenrein" (what unashamed demand from Arabs). Peace must be a 2-way street.

I see facts differently. I won't accept your lies and disinformation as facts. Indeed, if you could lie about things that are happening in front of us, events that we see with our own eyes, why wouldn't you lie about things that took place more than sixty years ago. I won't accept anything about the holocaust from Jewish Zionist sources. Period. Call me anti-Semite? I don't care a bit..your accusations won't shake a hair on my body.

Maybe you can brainwash naive North Americans with your lies and hogwash. But you won't decieve us. A country that keeps building hateful colonies on occupied land is unlikely to be sincere about peace with her neighbors. A country that starves millions of children by preventing them from food and water and work, doesn't see its neighbors as humans. A country that prefers a hasbara, spin and lies over true political reconciliation is not a sane country at all. If you are sincere about peace, leave the occupied territoires now..and get rid of all these hateful settlements. Otherwise, don't try to deceive people here.

Once again we hear about the problems facing the Gazans. We are always being told that it is very overpopulated and saturated with guns, instead of order. I believe that if Egypt really cares about the Pals, which I do not, then why not make their lives easier by giving them, as a gift of hope, a large chunck of unused north eastern Sinai land. They could increase their coast line, giving them room for a port, away from the population centers. As well as increased agricultural space, and green or (sand) land. Nature in all it's glory. This may sound like a pipe dream, but it can be easily done without affecting the Egyptian population. Just some empty Egyptian land. A big brother helping out his little brother, with the gift of land and freedom. This may not seem like an option at this moment in time, but there is no reason to rule it out. It is a win-win . Since the land is not going to Israel but to fellow Arabs and Moslems, there is no loss of face!

There is a maybe small but important difference.

Sometimes there are things that are more important than flatland wars

I love the peace rhetoric when it relates to the Holocaust. Let's be real. Israel has stated over and over again her desire to see a two state solution not with her enemy, but with her partner. Where are the deeds? How about leaving Southern Lebanon in hopes for peace and quiet in the north? How about leaving Gaza? When you are talking about a peoples threatning to destroy you, and acting on it, a painful concession happens to be a line of security. We must make peace with our partners, not our enemies. Peace with an enemy is nothing but show. Milosovic made peace only to pave way for a massacre. Britian and others ignored the sounds of Hitler (same rhetoric as Ahminejead) only to pave way to the Holocaust. Evil does exist in this world, and when people don't hide their desire to wipe you off the map, we have a fundamental problem of trust. No peace can ever be achieved like this. Israel wants peace with her Arab neighbors and has proved that with Egypt and Jordan.

" No military action can stop radicalism ; only peace , education and democratization can do that. Force will never be the answer . " Yes it will !! It was THE ONLY THING that stopped the Nazis ! The Iranian madman denies the Holocaust and this assistant professor erases World War 2. If I had to pick which of these guys was the more dangerous, it would have to be the author of this lying piece of garbage .He is one of MANY,MANY,MANY university instructors who is brainwashing the youth ! Ahmadinejad will be toast one day. But until the universities are gone, there will be no end to these leftist lies .

Learn your own history. From 1948 -1967 Egypt and Jordan occupied the land that was supposed to be the Palestinian state and prevented formation of a Palestinian state. If the Palestinians would stop fighting they would get a stste within a short time. The problem is that they are more interested in killing Jews than having a state.

I hate it when Arabs act like the innocent victims in the Israeli-conflict. Arabs have blown up hundreds of Jewish babies and murdered thousands of civilains. Arab children are killed because Hamass terrorists use them as human shields. Arabs started this conflict and don't want it to end until Israel and the Jewish people are destroyed.

Iwas dissapointed to read the same ole "blame Israel" for everything mentality. The Pals must make concessions of their own, and come to a realistic border. I would recommend a creative propostion. No, we do not need Pals as sex patners, to many bagaboos and cultural schematics. What about Peace for Land. Easy. Syria opens an embassy in Israel and opens it's borders to tourism and trade. If the Peace is real, then we make whatever land concessions are agreed to. How about the Pals putting down their weapons, rockets, rifles and dynamite belts. Let us listen to the birds together, and if it holds and the Pals conclude that peace is as honorable as war, then they get land. Pretty simple, yet for some reason in this wacky world, a year of peace is humiliating and does not satisfy the blood honor of our neighbours. I request that Haaretz creates an article dealing with Clans in Gaza and the WB, and how they influence the politics of the Palestinians.

If you want to be a professor one day or even to succeed in your studies understand that you should use your brains and not your emotions. Rely on facts and not on fantasy. Understand that you are manipulated by people who themselves have very little understanding of the true situation in another country and in the minds of citizens of that other country.

Well put...I only hope that the hatred between the Israeli's and Arabs has not become a genetic one. The longer peace is delayed, the more killing there will be, the deeper the hatred will swirl. One day such voices calling for peace like those of Mr. Hafez and Rabbi Amar will fade in the midst of louder voices preaching killing and more hatred. Let's not wait for that to happen. Peace now....or never.

Egypt expelled its Jews, too. To turn the lead on its head: things will improve when Palestinians realize that they are alone in Israel-Palestine with the Israelis. Palestinians need to think less about the Ummah and more about the inevitable neighbors. It will also be necessary for any peace agreement to recognize that anti-semitism will remain a political force in Islamic countries for a long time to come. There will be "rejectionists" eager to target Israel and Jews, whether there is a peace deal or not. To make and preserve peace, Palestinians will have to guard against such influences, same as Israelis.

He sees facts and is not influenced by having been brainwashed, nor does he succumb to sentimental appeals to his religious identity. I thank him for seeing us as just another nation with ordinary human flaws and not as a group of expansionist demons or as a hapless tool of the USA.

There are gangs operating on the Mexican side of the US border near my hometown. They smuggle drugs and illegal aliens. They also commit murders, kidnappings, and steal cars. If California was Israel, the response would be to bomb Mexico City. This kind of non-reasoning will bring heartache and devestation to Israel. I don't think that the Israel leadership is strong enough to reason their way through it. The can't see past the next day, much less the next year. The lesson they must learn is that it is not possible to impose their will upon other nations through use of force.

the children and grandchildren of the holocaust have done to the helpless Palestinians. Muslims and Arabs should never ever allude to the holocaust as long as this allusion will be utilized to justify the criminal Israeli onslaught against the Palestinians. How could have any Arab or Muslim dare speak sympathetically about events that took place 60 years ago...while Gaza children are starved to death and decapitated by Israeli missiles....for no reason other than being "goyem." Hafez shame on you.

It is good to hear a neighbor speaking words of peace to Israel. And in fact I am sure if the leaders of Arab and Islamic nations had the same willingness to speak with us as Sharif Hafez we would not be where we are today.