Palestinian aspirations are clear, but what does Israel want?

And, like India, has never come to grips with the fact that its enemy will NOT give up its hatred-based policy!

Is that so? listening to different palestinian groups and personalities you hear similar contradictions and demands. from killing all jews in the hamas charter to two state solution or one state solution etc. Israel annexed the golan hights and Jerusalem. Clear situation,clear positions. readiness to compromise, without stating the extant is not shallow or stupid anywhere and more so in the middle east.

"PLO" Did not exist before the Israeli occupation. Are you confusing cause with effect? CK, maybe you will answer the question? What does Israel want? I care about the future of Israel, Israel must end the occupation for her own sake. The situation is untennable. Why don't you just say it- Israel wants "A Greater Israel" If that is the goal, admit the truth- we can go from there.

Dear Mr 133, Greg: I think we are on the same side. But I must correct one point. We only want the tiny, microscopic Land of Israel. The Mohammedans want the whole world. It is part of their religon to conquer it all. We, along with other peoples who are fighting for our own, will not give it to them. But, please, state your own full name. Then you will be much more believable.

We want, first of all, to live peacefully and securely in our own Land. And that depends on our not giving a milimeter to global jihad. Their "religion" commands conqering the world. We cannot give in to any religion which has no tolerance for other religons. But also to live peacefully and securely in our own Land we have to stop allowing enemy newspapers to operate under the guise of "freedom of the press". I refer to: I forget the name. Is it "Ha Anat"? No, it is something similar to that.

'(Israel wants) land and water that is not thiers, and to annihalate the native people of the region to whom it belongs" (sic) Really? NEVER read the PLO Charter, did you? Try it. Just DON'T pee in your pants.

"While Swedish law obligates the publication of every letter sent from the office of a minister..." OK, you hit on the only difference between Israel and Sweden. All other variables are identical, and for some reason, Israeli p.m.'s don't make every note public. Also....I was under the impression that what the Palestinians want [I would want it too if I were them] is to replace the Jewish State with one of their own. Anything less is a temporary compromise, so what kind of incentive is there for Israeli citizens to give up this and that?

My mention of the Saudi Plan: JB: "The Arabs have published their 'wants' in a formal document, and it`s called 'the Saudi Plan'." JB: "Anyone want to show me where I can find 'the Israeli Plan', or to tell me what does it contain?" Anyone with a functional brain would see that I made NO value judgement about the worth (or worthlessness) of what is contained WITHIN the Saudi Plan. N.o.n.e. W.h.a.t.s.o.e.v.e.r. I merely pointed out that a) it exists, and b) it can be perused by anyone and c) in those two facts it stands in contrast to the "Israeli Plan", which d) does not exist at all. Having CK Tan then rant and rave about "what Johnboy leaves out about the Saudi Plan!!!" is an exercise in pointlessness, amounting to nothing more than an attempt to change the subject. CK Tan, here is the title of your homework assignment: "The Saudi Plan is out there, and the Israeli Plan isn't." Discuss.

Yes, exactly- and as a matter of fact, where are Israel's borders, exactly? Apparently that's all that stands between Israel and a mutual defense pact with the US: when US officers sit down with Israeli military men to work out the details, and the Americans ask what territory, precisely, they would be agreeing to defend if attacked, the Israelis can't tell them. Because they're not sure.

I think that CK, you have finally answered the question [by accident] Israel wants never to have to answer that question, just like CJ. Because the answer is that they want land and water that is not thiers, and to annihalate the native people of the region to whom it belongs. They won't say it because it is so wrong, but it is obvious. President Obama is calling you out, oh Israel, what you gonna do? More stall tactics. Good Luck!

So johnboy CANNOT answer my post DIRECTLY. Which is in RESPONSE to his post where HE brings up the SAUDI PLAN. The plan that references Israel and the ARAB nations. The plan that johnboy SPECIFICALLY stated and NOT gideon. To which is what I EXPOSE his usual sin of OMISSION. And GUESS what? BEREFT of anything BETTER to say, johnboy WHINES - it is NOT the topic of the article. And by WHINING, he HOPES too to HIDE - just like gideon - the FACT that the palis have NEVER formally RENOUNCE their stated NATIONAL ASPIRATION to totally ERADICATE Israel. Chronic AMNESIAC Aussie parrot for SALE, anyone?

17: "Arab residents of Judea and Samaria have never had any sovereignty over the land." 17: "They have nothing to to be "stolen" from them." A simple analogy shows the flaw in that argument. Someone dies, and the executor reads the will. The will says that half the assets of the deceased goes to 17, and half goes to CJ. Before CJ can take possession of his half of the inheritance 17 comes in and (a) seizes it all and (b) locks CJ in the basement. A few questions to ponder... Q1: Did CJ EVER "previously have ownership"? (A: No, they belonged to the deceased) Q2: Did CJ EVER "take possession"? (A: No, 17 took action that prevented that) Q3: Did 17 steal from CJ? (A: Oh, yeah, no question) In short: that CJ NEVER "had ownership" of that stuff and NEVER "took possession" of that stuff does not mean that 17 did not steal that stuff. He did, because the only person who could LEGALLY "take possession" of that stuff was CJ.

that's a little odd.

The article by Levy asks a simple question: What does I.S.R.A.E.L. want? I post a talkback stating that I agree with Levy i.e. I.S.R.A.E.L. flat-out refuses to say what it wants, and no supporter of I.S.R.A.E.L. has made the slightest attempt to fill in that gap. And how does CK Tan respond? Para 1: Saudis! Saudis! Saudis! Para 2: Did I mention the Saudis? Para 3: The Pals are the same as the Saudis! Para 4: There! Take That, Johnboy!!! Errrr, CK, sunshine... care to answer the question. You know: What Does I.S.R.A.E.L. Want? After all, that's the topic of this article. Or didn't you know that?

He is a classic in miniature: when asked what ISRAEL wants he insists on talking about... the Saudis. How wonderfully hasbarah of you, Shlomzion.

As USUAL, johnboy COVERS up the FACT that the REAL intent of the Saudi Plan is to WIPE OUT Israel's identity. This tiny little INCONVENIENT detail comes from no less that the Saudi ROYALTY. As for PARROTING gideon's CONTENTION that the palis have LISTED their ASPIRATIONS, johnboy does the SAME by HIDING the FACT that their MAIN goal is STILL the SAME - to WIPE OUT Israel. Trying to PASS off SQUAWKING as something ANALYTICAL is, at best, LAUGHABLE.

From afar, one does wonder what the Israeli right wants. In the absence of any clear answer, it's left to the imagination. Do they hope to claim all the land on which Palestinian Arabs live and expel the people? Do they hope to claim as much of it as possible before demographics take over? It's really not clear, and apparently even to ask the question is viewed as "unsupportive." The vague goal of "we want peace" is meaningless if it doesn't enter into details. It's like a person saying "I want to be happy" but he never says specifically how that will be achieved.

A good portion of those you're asking about actually prefer ONE state with equal rights and previleges for both Palestinians and Jews.

1-The land isn't Israel's; Israel "occupies" it(illegally). 2-This is the year 2010; NOT 2010 BP. 3-The Palestinians are NOT Arabs

A. mr fayyad why did you refuse the camp david taba offer - Schlomzion It appears you believe Fayyad was a political leader already during Camp David and Taba (2000-1). No he was merely an Economist then, Only joined the PA government in 2002. B. and why did you refuse the olmert offer in 2009 - Schlomzion Nobody refused any offer. The negotiations with Olmert were frozen during the Cast Lead operation in Gaza. When there was time to renew them, there were elections in Israel and Likud won. C. "And why do you have such big teeth, grandma?" - Schlomzion All the better to eat you up.

"wolf mann do your own research saeb erekat confirmed the olmert offer."- Schlomzion Who disputes the Olmert offer. Your statement ("claim") was that Abbas did not reply to the offer, and I addressed this fictional "fact". Did you get it from Erekat? Try reading again my post 102 and this time make an effort to understand.

I increasingly think that Zionists fall into three categories: (1) Extremist racial-religious zealots who want EVERYTHING Palestine has before expelling them (2) Extremists racial-religious zealots who want EVERYTHING Palestine has but will let them stay on reservations, as long as they kow-tow to Greater Israel (3) Used car salesmen. It's the latter who do the business, whether Barak or Olmert or Netanyahu. So what does the car salesmen want? To win and get the absolute maximum, give the absolute minimum and, if possible, sell the punter a complete pup, just to rub in his innately superior trickery. Only in this case, he doesn't really want to sell the car at all, he wants to keep it (for free) and drive it. He can hardly write that down and publish it as his terms, can he? It is funny that Obama has got his number and is insisting that the terms ARE written down and WILL be judged by the USA. Wow, poor sleazy car-seller, right on the spot now, nowhere to hide!

Israel fears the slow withering away of their state more than the threats from any other nations.... A state of war, feeling threatened....those are the things that bind all Israeli Jews together, but little else.

The Saudi plan and offer has been on the table for 8 years now. Shlomzion's response is typical avoidance of the issue: Johnboy asks what Israel wants, he talks about a Lebanese in Saudi Arabia. Israel talks about security but refuses to accept a plan that would normalize relations between 22 Arab nations and Israel. What do you think Shlomzion? Wanna talk about the movies or ice cream?

the difference is that Israel now has it all because of intransigence of the Arabs in 1948 and 1967. Why should Israel give any ground away to an enemy that wants to use it to take it all. The Arabs had chances to have half but now that time is past and they can either live under Israeli rule or move to Jordan, or lock themselves up in Gaza, the last piece that Israel will give back

Israel has made its aspirations clear since 1947. A Jewish state with defensible borders and real peace with its neighbors. The Jewish state has made two comprehensive peace offers and sat at direct negotiating sessions to this end on numerous occasions. Without fail successive Israeli governments have attempted to negotiate with Syria. With Lebanon, with Saudi Arabia, with Egypt - anyone who would offer the prospect of a peace. They have listened to a long series of U.S. presidents, European leaders, and U.N. officials proscribe and opine. Levy's question is a red herring and meant as usual to damage a government he doesn't agree with politically.

A lot has been said of the Camp David 2000 proposal and counter-proposal, varied interpretations, p.148 in President Carter's book shows two different maps of Israeli and Palestinian understandings, segmentations of security roads prevented contiguous areas for the Palestinians, and so on and so on. I understood that PM Barak's proposal was insufficient for the Palestinians for whatever the reasons, but this didn't mean that the negotiations and better arrangements couldn't be made. Issues concerning Jerusalem, refugees, and borders were not fully negotiated either. The Camp David talks only set the beginning to diplomatic negotiations really but the violence which transpired destroyed the ability to continue talks.

I was asking myself same question all the time, for decades now. Never seen "Camp David" map or "Taba" map or "Olmert" map, let alone detailed proposal what to do with refugees or how to compensate people who are not going to get access to their property. But I believe Israeli *politicians* hope to stay in power till end of term and possibly get re-elected. And, why not, pass some plum deal to friends and family.

Mr.Levy, You are, if I may say so, simpy ignoring the realities of diplomacy. Every time progress towards peace has been achieved it has been negotiated quietly, out of the public eye. This is how the business of politics is done, for better or worse. Ad these subjects are so contentious and media so all-pervasive that if a public debate was started any peace plan would be dead in the water. I'm sure you must know this, just as you must be aware that Obama and for that matter the Palestinians and the Arab states active in this situation are very aware of what Israel wants, and what they are likely to be willing to give up. But, and here's another thought, no leader is going to show his full hand before negotiations are even underway - given that he's bound to have to give more than his starting position, why would he start by publicly stating the furthest point he would be willing to reach?

ROSS: The ideas were presented on December 23 by the president, and they basically said the following: On borders, 97 percent of the West Bank would go to the Palestinians. There would be about a 3 percent annexation in the West Bank for the Israelis and a 3 percent swap of Israeli land to the Palestinians. So there would be a net of 100 percent of the territory that would go to the Palestinians. On Jerusalem, the Arab neighborhoods of East Jerusalem would become the capitol of the Palestinian state. On the issue of refugees, there would be a right of return for the refugees to their own state, not to Israel, but there would also be a fund of $30 billion internationally that would be put together for either compensation or to cover repatriation, resettlement, rehabilitation costs. And when it came to security, there would be a international presence, in place of the Israelis, in the Jordan Valley. Following is a transcript excerpt from Fox News Sunday, April 21, 2002.

Only one and just one option do palestinians have. Negotiation face to face with Israel and get what they can from those negotiation which are bounded to the 67 borders, with minor changes. This is not about rights. Palestinians have no sovereign rights out of what they can get after negotiations. It is so clear that it is no clear how people like CJ dont get it. It is exactly what is happening now. Pals wont get anything and nobody will grant them "those"rights that they have lost as a result of their rejection of partition.

Ah you mean the 2000 offer which was "unprecedented" and offered the 22 percent provided that major Palestinian population centers could be divided by roads that Israel would have to right to close to Palestinians if they felt there were "security concerns" (by their standards of course) and Israel would get all the most fertile water aquifers and Palestinians would get one percent of Israeli land in the Negev Desert including a former toxic waste site. Israel would also keep control over the Jordan Valley and Palestinian borders and essentially keep Palestinian trade and economy completely at their mercy. Truly shocking that the Palestinians didn't agree to this amazingly generous offer which was basically...what they were already living with. And of course let's not forget the 2008 offer which was more of the same. That isn't a state. That's a summer camp.

To slightly paraphrase Jefferson: "People willing to trade their land for peace deserve neither and will lose both." The whole world would be at least neutral, if no convinced if Jews would say loud and clear: "All of land of Israel is our ancestral land". "We are the indigenous people of Palestine." "Jews are from Judea, Arabs are from Arabia, Arabs in Judea are invaders, occupiers, or at the best squatters." "We will divide Jerusalem after Arab divide Mecca." By saying that "we will trade land for peace", Jews declare that that land isn't theirs in the first place. Propaganda war is lost!

...endless war and settlements and their asses kicked out of the Middle East and back to wandering Jews. Trust me no one will feel sorry for them this time or indeed open their door to them. They will be like people wandering aimlesslessly and shrieking like wounded animals....Dutch

So you say that Jews have been turfed from more than 100 countries and should have learned to change their ways?! Many Jewish and Israeli posters are trigger happy in calling others anti-semitic. But, happy for them, you are the real thing. You provide us all with a true example of an ignorant, insulting, pompous anti-semite. Thank you.

comes close to the Saudi Initiative of 2002. Don't you think my post reiterates basically what the majority of Israelis position stands for and that is " territorial concessions to 1967 borders by most Israelis and politicians entailing guaranteed security for Israel." The peace negotiations of Ehud Barak in 2000 and Ehud Olmert in 2008 confirm this territorial concession for two states alongside one another.

The choice is clear.... Justice, reconciliation and peace or a continuing heritage of violence for our children and their children. With truth and justice so honored within our faith, it appears the choice is clear. Yet some of us are prepared to sacrifice all of our childrens' futures and our Judaic values for a piece of land. A zealotry has permeated the minds of some of our brothers and sisters that encourages theft of land, abuse of another people and isolation from many peoples that have been our friends. On top of that, the zealots pile violence to protect their closed view of the world. Israel should want peace with justice. Unfortunately it's leaders have abandoned any semblance of our time-honored values for the sake of a vicious greed for land.

Israel has Arabs and they are represented can vote and have rights. Their standard of living and freedoms are better than any of the surrounding Arab countries. If Israel didn't want her Arabs there wouldn't be any. The smallest book in the world by the way is the Saudi Arabian phone book of Jews. The only religion not allowed to pray at its holiest site in Jerusalem are Jews. Only Arabs can pray on the temple Mount. In response to the moron who posted from Australia about Zionists articulating what they want here it is. Peace, prosperity and peaceful coexistance with its neighbors behind secure borders. That is all that it has ever wanted. There was a constant state of war prior to 1967 and if Israel returns to those borders there will still be war because the Arabs have never adn will never ACCEPT A Jewish State in their midst.

A. mr fayyad why did you refuse the camp david taba offer - Schlomzion It appears you believe Fayyad was a political leader already during Camp David and Taba (2000-1). No he was merely an Economist then, Only joined the PA government in 2002. B. and why did you refuse the olmert offer in 2009 - Schlomzion Nobody refused any offer. The negotiations with Olmert were frozen during the Cast Lead operation in Gaza. When there was time to renew them, there were elections in Israel and Likud won. 3. "And why do you have such big teeth, grandma?" - Schlomzion All the better to eat you up.

"wolf mann do your own research saeb erekat confirmed the olmert offer."- Schlomzion Who disputes the Olmert offer. Your statement ("claim") was that Abbas did not reply to the offer, and I addressed this fictional "fact". Did you get it from Erekat? Try reading again my post 102 and this time make an effort to understand.

Israel has been evasive on a larger issue: It has never conducted an honest and open debate about national identity. Is Israel a modern nation state seeking to provide a good life for its citizens? or a religious enterprise dedicated to fulfilling bronze age prophecies? In a technological economy, size doesnt matter so much. And a vibrant, advanced state wont have to seek its security in its borders. But I fear Israelis are still indulging in a sham relgious sentimality. Improvement will only come from confronting this contradiction.

Hello, I read your response with interest. However in your original post (no. 1) I'm afraid I didn't see any response to my points. I understand your frustration, as what you see as Arab rejectionism, however I'm afraid I still don't understand what you would like to happen with the situation as we find it today. Do you want to preserve the status quo (of course, bar the violence), or would you like to see the West Bank settlements expand? In that case what do you propose for the current Palestinian inhabitants - to continue as they are, under a semi autonomous Pal leadership, an offer of Israeli citizenship, or offer inducements for them to leave the are, and relocate to Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon etc? Please don't take offence - I am simply genuinely interested. And by the way, I am by no means left wing. I am British, and my record voting there is hardly left. I truthfully would like a constructive dialogue with those who dismiss the article, and am intrigued to know your views

(retry) "The Arabs have published their "wants" in a formal document, and it`s called "the Saudi Plan"." And what johmboy is HIDING, again, is that the plan's REAL intention is to WIPE out Israel. Oh, that EXPLANATION comes from the horse's mouth. In an interview more than 2 years ago, Prince Turki al-Faisal says the PLAN is for Israelis to BECOME Arab Jews. Just ANOTHER one of the WOLF-in-SHEEP-clothing maneuvers to ERASE the sovereignty of the Jewish state. And of course johnboy - jus like gideon's - OMITS that the palis have NEVER formally RENOUNCE their stated NATIONAL goal to ERADICATE Israel.

The idea of having fixed permanent borders is terrifying to the paranoid Israeli military/strategic leadership. It is safer to having fluid flexible indistinct borders with a land buffer, unfortunately populated by Arabs, between the Israeli heartland and the outside world. The idea of being hemmed in puts Israel on a much more defensive footing and at a disadvantage should further wars with her neighbours kick off.

and Shlomzion disingenuously tries to cloud the issue. It is immaterial what the Saudi plan may or may not specify. It is more than Israel has done. Israel talks about peace within secure borders, but declines to say where it believes those borders are to be. Whether the answer to this question is back to the 67 Green Line, Green Line plus territorial adjustments or from the sea to the river, Israel now has to define its position.

AMAZING!! Of course we know the reason. THERE IS NO JUSTIFICATION for illegally acquiring Palestinian territory.

As usual, when asked a question you change the subject. As far as killing people, he had a trial. Israel either sends a hit squad and assassinates, or tortures prisoners held under administrative detention (no trial, not even any charges) to death in prison.

ehud barak is a very impressive man.he will be prime minister of israel again.i am afraid the rest of the politicians are not in his calibre.

saeb erekat confirmed the olmert offer.

there are many saudi plans johnboy.the current one is to behead a lebanese tourist for witchcraft.is that the one you are referring to johnboy? all the poor man did was to give an interview to saudi tv.we will not his fate in the coming days.

... and as far as I can tell not one zionist has made the slightest attempt to answer Levy's question i.e. to laid out concisely what ISRAEL wants. Lots of them claim to know that Levy is wrong about what the Palestinians want... Lots of them claim that, well, Levy is a traitor, or the Jews have been here for 3,000 years, or it's not really stealing land when you take land from a Palestinian.... But not a one of them wants to answer Levy's question. How odd. The Arabs have published their "wants" in a formal document, and it's called "the Saudi Plan". Anyone want to show me where I can find "the Israeli Plan", or to tell me what does it contain? Anyone? Anyone at all?

You are so smart girl, answer the question for us all! What does Israel want? Because it seems you and those other Israel fans are not really answering the question. The people who critisize Israel have a pretty detailed and cohesive idea about what Israel wants,{NOT TO END THE OCCUPATION} What is your answer?

If "67.5 % of palestinians in Gaza agree with the two state solution" what are the states they are talking about? 1. Do they think about two states with Arab majorities? 2. If 32.5% disagree will 67.5% agree to use force against them to stop rocketing Israel?

Israel is only 20% of Palestine

Well you may not know but everybody else does, just look at the past 20-30 years. Does anyone really think that Israel is going to withdraw to the 67 borders? Do some research on Israeli Land Laws the Koenig Memorandum the current apartheid laws being introduced, recent statements on Jerusalem and Hebron and a host of comments made by Israeli politicians over the years. Look at maps avaiable anywhere on the internet showing how the West Bank is being fragmented by settlements soon a Palestinian state will just not be viable.The switch from a recognition of the State of Israel to the Jewish State of Israel made by Netanyhu.

A. "ehud olmert with the use of a large map offered abbas almost the whole of the west bank. abbas did not reply." - Schlomzion Making up your "facts" is a stupid thing because fact are known to many. There is no independent source of what the Ehud-Abbas negotiations were proceeding, other than Olmert himself. And according to Olmert, the negotiations ended when Cast Lead came about. They were going on just fine before. Nobody refused an answer. B. "I can explain all the poems that ever were invented - and a good many that haven`t been invented just yet." - Schlomzion Try explaining: "`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe."

Israeli politicians have always been driven by the conviction (illusion) that Time runs favourably for Israel. The contrary is true, Israel is more isolated and insulated in the world than ever before. The tragedy lies in the Israeli people themselves, because they elect these illusionist politicians who allow to settle unlawfully in Palestinian territories, who allow to discriminate our fellow ethnical population, who permanently creat tension, who rather sacrifice Israel's existence on the geographical map than compromise on peace and spare more wars and blood shedding. Probably, Israelis have to read Gideon Levy's articles 5 times a day (maybe even at night) to get rid of their illusionist "politicians" and awake from a dangerous dream.

Israel wants the land from the sea to the river , and the Palestiniens want the land from the river to the sea ! What do you say to this saga !

Netanyahu ran in 2009 on the Likud platform which he was of course instrumental in formulating, so we know exacly what he believed he wanted just about a year ago. PALESTINIANS: No independent state only self-rule, Jerusalem is the eternal etc. capital of Israel only. The Jordan Valley and overlooking hills remain in Israel. SYRIA: Israel wants peace negotiations without preconditions, but will also strengthen the Jewish settlement in the Golan (which actually took place recently by adding some tax breaks to settlers there). Apparently, Netanyahu wants "peace for peace", no "land for peace" or land for anything. NOTE: Last June, Netanyahu gave a speech agreeing to a Palestinian state. He did not bring this "new idea" before the government, nor before his Likud party for approval. This may be due to fear of causing a commotion in Likud or because Netanyahu is not serious about the "idea". But this leaves the speech as mere words, not policy.

If a nation cannot achieve enough of a consensus to adopt a constitution, how can it possibly decide what it wants? "Israelis have never been particularly kind to each other. It?s one of the reasons I left actually...The only thing that could unite people and temporarily brought out more kindness and a sense of cooperation was a feeling of being under collective threat, and in particular a ?good wholesome war?." - Avigail Abarbanel

The people of Israel need you.

What will be the purpose anymore of continuing to support an illegal entity? Hence the encroachment on Palestinian land will c cost Israel dearly. There is already broad agreement across the board to punish Israel and that is not going away but building up and getting massive in scope.... Dutch

If Palestinians want all of Israel with no Jews, that seems only fair since Jews want all of Israel with no Palestinians. Palestinians were, after all, there while most Jews are immigrants or children of immigrants.

No democratic government can ever spell out it's long term goals when polls show less than 50% domestic support. A further complication in Israel is world opinion. We all know what both sides want. Greater Israel and a Caliphate. Israel and the US must stand together. The EU no longer deserves to be in the quartet. Let's get some IDF troops in Afghanistan and let the NATO fake army go home. The Brits and Canadians show in actions and not just words. I have read all the posts here and am impressed with the perception and passion of the responders. Real peace comes from being forced to to abandon idealistic goals and accept realistic pragmatic options. A Palestinian State will happen like it or not.

The latest opinion polls show that 67.5 % of palestinians in Gaza agree with the two state solution. Please check out the link below: http://www.pcpo.ps/polls.htm Most of the comments on this article are not accurate. Most palestinians want to live side by side with Israel. A palestinian state on 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Maybe I'm naive, but shouldn't the answer to your question be peace. Or how about a brotherhood of man. Nice cliche's you say. Well, Maybe one should redefine a responsible country leader?

While Jewish settlers have about 20% of popular support Arab 'refugees' have about 80% of popuar support.

there isn't even a direct flight by El Al to Miami, so it's not a good option!

Gideon never ceases to amaze me. Everything about Israel is .... bad. Everything about the Palestinians good. Gideon is really quite predictable. Let me simplify things for you Gideon. They want you and all of the other Jews to disappear and move to Miami. Is that simple enough ? I guess you are happy that at least they have a goal arn't you? Israel on the other hand is too busy trying to survive with the entire world and some of its "own" trying to destroy, diminish, delegitimize it. In the meantime Israel is attracting the most venture capital money in the world. Israel is curing diseases, solving energy issues and creating a beautiful oasis in a sea of "shining autocracies". Hope you get back on your meds Gideon.

The 2 main camps on both sides, the settler/refugees are the main problem in making any peace deal since they both want the same land and control over it. Both sides are trying to make peace with only 50% support at best. Who will have which land and right of return must be addressed first at the same time for any deal to work.

The combined land size of Arab countries is 650 times the size of Israel -- i.e., Israel is the size of New Jersey, and the Arab countries are the size of the United States, all of Central America, and Mexico combined. * Arab dictators control 13,486,861 Square Kilometers in the Middle East, and Israel controls 20,770 (Palestinefacts.org) * The Population of Israel is roughly 6 Million, compared to the Population of 300 Million living in the surrounding Arab countries What exactly are the 'Palestinians' suppose to gain in reality by having their own state - are they going to achieve something that their 300 million brethren have failed to achieve over the last one hundred years. Once the initial euphoria has died down and they come to the sinking realisation that the new flag and president have not been able to resolve the unemployment; health; education and corruption issues, they will do what all their neighbors dream of - settling in Europe!

You simply have chosen to ignore it.In 1948, instead of sharing the land with the Jews, the pals, together with the rest of the arabs, chose to attack Israel.Moreover, there were ONE MILLION Jewish refugees from arab/muslim countries.Care to discuss that, Mat? Or are you too blinded with leftist anti-Israel propaganda, Mat?The pals could've long ago had their state, but they chose NOT to, since their will to destroy Israel is much stronger than their will to create their own state.How else do you explain that the Peace Quartet has been forcing the pals to create their national institutions, since they have no clue whatsoever about democracy? Mat?Are you still there,Mat? Anybody home? This is Earth to the Leftists: what have you been taking? I want some too.

You're a clown

cj the palestinians establish their rights by throwing each other from the tops of high rise buildings.a favourite tactic of hamas. your ludicrously romantic view of the palestinians has no substance.

glad to hear that for you over in sydney the un is the touchstone for all that is good and wholesome. that the majority of its members are like gadaffi who blew up two planefuls of civilains does not interest you. other members are sudan syria iran saudi all upright states.saudi is now about to execute a man for witchcraft.syria famously butchered 20000 sunnis in 1981. iran has cooked its election and put down a civilian rebellion by mass hangings.all upright members of the un.

Sir, Arab residents of Judea and Samaria have never had any sovereignty over the land. They have nothing to to be "stolen" from them. Those are obvious truths - you are just trying to distract attention from the obvious. Feeling insulted? Don't.

I have read all the arguments on this thread, and there is still no answer from anyone from the right. Can one of you tell us - with details, your thoughts on a) Jerusalem b) ariel c) the Jordan Valley d) hebron e) Gaza f) maile dumim (sp?) g) the hilltop settlements in the north west bank h) the Hebron Hills i) the palestinian population j) the muslim population of east jerusalem k) commercial airspace above the west bank l) hamas in Gaza m) The gazan population. can you do that without something indefinate like "israel just wants peace, respect, security"? Then we can have a serious conversation

Stop drinking the kool-aide... Gideon Levy. You know exactly what Netanyahu and Uzi Arad want. After all... didn't you have a front row seat at Bar Elan University. You remember... that emasculated and security-centric Palestinian State. I think you actually wrote a touchingly sarcastic piece. Where the Israeli military controls all borders and air-space. You know... it's that truncated and de-militarized two states solution, which Bibi was so eloquent with his delirious daydream. The problem is... only Shas and the Ultra-Right believe this will work. You... Gideon Levy, the Labor party... and even most Israelis can't seem to wrap their head around that euphorically arrogant solution.

It's all they've ever wanted. Their rights are not a threat to anyone. Not to Jews, not to Israel. http://wp.me/pDB7k-jS Israel wants their land, it's all it's ever wanted, it threatens and turns like a viper on anyone who tries to stop it, even Jewish folk who'd like nothing more than their homeland state to live in peace, according to the law, instead of making more and more enemies with every acre of land it illegally acquires. http://wp.me/pDB7k-l5

"Successful Indoctrination by the Party" Uh? The Knesset, Jewish Virtual Libraray, Yale Law repository, The Israel Govt Web site, the UN/UNSC resolutions, Hansard, the Armistice and peace agreements are a party? Amazing theory you have. "Arabs of Judea and Samaria never has any land in their sovereignty" Neither did we Jewish folk until Israel was declared. There was once a Kingdom, a long long time ago. Much like the Ottoman empire. There have been many come and go. But today, we live in a world where the majority of Sovereign States are a part of the UN. And as part of the UN are obliged to it's charter and laws and Conventions. "Try to control your creative outbursts of historical confabulations - better write some fiction" Refute me dear chap, it should be so easy, yet you haven't. Why not?

Palestinian have no chance to live in palestine, because they had reject the UN resolution in 1948. This resolution separate palestine in 2, half foe Israel and half for Palestine, and palestinian reject this resolution, they want all.

Jews are the oldest living nation of people on earth. The fact that they don't say it, regardless of the ridicule, is inexcusable. The narrative of Jewish history is more widely known than any other people on earth. Our historical documents not only should be the model of our goals, it is the most detailed agenda for the future on earth. You pose a good question, why are our leaders silent about what are obvious goals are, and must be?

The Palestinian people have been misled by the Muftis and grand muftis. It is comfortable for Levy to ignore this fact. To cure the patient, it is better to attack the leadership of the Palestinians, and of the Arab and Iranian people, and the old communist leaders Hrushchev and Brezhnev, When the patient is sick, you need the treatment, and not the weakening of the neighbors. Treat Palestine, and don't weaken Israel. Israel is an ignorant neighbor perhaps, but the Palestinian society is a victim of something else.

The lack of national goals that could not be contested is no excuse for imposing as many goals as possible by force. Israel can show and defend its arguments on an international level. In places where I worked, I've often shown my sometimes lone opinion. But I generally tried to respect the commonly taken decisions even if I voted against them. States aren't humans: if Germany is being criticised, it's not an agression against myself, I can position myself at least mentally beyond the state I live in. If the UN finds that the German school system is unjust this won't be without base, and if the UN finds that Israel committed war crimes in Gaza I can't simply wipe this reproach away either. Delegitimising the use of cluster and phosphorous bombs does not mean contesting Israel's existence; delegitimising suicide bombing does not mean that a Palestinian state with clear borders and a working administration would not have its benefits for the security of both Israelis and Palestinians.

Sir, Successful Indoctrination by the Party - I suggest Rakah - is well known and you are just a victim. Arabs of Judea and Samaria never has any land in their sovereignty. Try to control your creative outbursts of historical confabulations - better write some fiction.

Benjamin Netanyahu wants plan A (bible): Southern Lebanon, all of the occupied lands and the Sinai. All palestinian arabs and christians should be transferred out to the moon or a similar place far away. If anyone complains he/she can join them. His practical compromise plan B (sharon): Israel gets "greater jerusalem", the Jordan valey, Golan heights and the settlements including patches of land connecting them. The Arabs get some demilitarized isolated patches of land to live on. To travel from one patch to the other they need an Israeli permit. All in and export is 100% controlled by Israel. Correct the mistake of leaving a border between Egypt and Gaza. Until that time: Wait for Obama to go and keep war simmering and continue with plan B.

Due to arrogance you talk of things you do not know. I hope information below does not cause distress. Perhaps you were referring to time of early Persian monarchies... at the time when Israel was still with us. The state of Jewish communities was enumerated in a relatively short volume created by Rabi from Vilno around 1815 - 1825 ( a Jewish community in Western Europe exterminated to the last Jewish living soul in WW II, a unique fate that spared most ) According to his volume he did not find a single Jewish community that was not shrinking and headed for extinction within a few generations in Muslim world. In addition he found Sharia greatly diminishing Jewish communities standing due to special taxation on Jewish people. One of the contributing factors was tax ( or otherwise "freeze" ) on bringing over Jewish people, which made impossible to make new families some times. He did find well established Jewish communities in non - Muslim nations only.

the reverse is true.ehud barack spelled it out in 2000 exactly, and their response was one terroist attack after another untill more 1000 jews were killed. olmert offered 97% of the territoies. the nice guy abbas turned him down. they ( the palestenians) want it all peiod. negotiations should start from the end. how do we handle refugees? we don't want any. we will give you all the money , but that goes only into the bank account of the refugees only.with the hundreds of billions the palestenians bilked from the europeans and the us they could of have built a riviera . let them recogize us. and have map of israel any size in their text books, then we know we have a partner for a cup of tea or a wrestling match, but no rocks or suicide bombers. these are the simple facts that you try to hide behind half, and no truths

As per usual Gideon Levy Spouts forth his usual foolish Israel Bashing Propaganda. If you dislike your country so much, why not emmigrate to Sweden, it appears you are in line with their policies.

You are a failed journalist trying to be a champion of talkbacks!This is not left...

Gideon, the answer to your question is because Israel is the ONLY country in the world that faces a very real existential threat. It is time you finally come to terms with this reality.

offered abbas almost the whole of the west bank. abbas did not reply.

1 the brotherhood of man. 2 tom paine. 3 human rights watch 4 open borders with the arab world. 5 shared places of worship.synagogues and mosques used by both jews and arabs. 6 give nasrallah an honorary seat in the knesset.

The law of return creates a delicate problem of equilibrium with respect to the diaspora. If and when the borders of Israel are fixed and the wars are over, the idea of having several million people elsewhere in the world with a ``free pass'' to immigrate at any time, creates an instability which no other nation currently faces. The current situation creates, on the one hand, a countervailing pressure against massive immigration (people being scared of rockets etc.) and on the other hand some flexibility to absorb new people. Until this issue is understood and tackled head on, the current impasse will probably continue. One possible solution would be a ``tobin tax'' on law-of-return immigration, which would keep open the possibility for persecuted Jews to return to Israel whenever necessary, but would also introduce a certain friction on the process to reduce this potential instability.

but that they were cleverer than I at obtaining it. I thought they wanted to integrate us into the Middle East and that what we wanted more than anything else was to live here in peace with our neighbours in the country we had been allocated. "Through the years we have implicitly agreed that our leaders would guide us on the basis of fraud, or at the very least distortion. " - Gideon Levy Some of us were simply fooled by their portrayal of our neighbours and co-citizens. Turns out they're human, just like us, and that most of them'd like to be able to trust us as much as we'd like to be able to trust them. Our leaders seem to have fooled not only the world but us. Idiots that we were!

i thought you would never ask gideon. israel wants to be able to protect the citizens of the jewish state from an arab onslaught. one day many years hence while all the idf is on holiday in peru we will be attacked by the arabs. to preclude this nightmare the jews must hold on to the heights of the west bank.they dominate tel aviv and the coastal plain where the mass of the jewish population resides. i do hope that answers your question gideon.did you visit hebron for pesach?quite lovely.you do not know what you are missing.

When the Jews came into Caanan how did they aquire it the first time ? Did they buy the land from the inhabitants? Seems like everytime the jews go there it is with genocide but you dont understand why you arent welcome? Imagine that.

A few weeks ago during Biden's visit also the very day Israel and Palestinians were supposed to close a peace deal , Israel announced building 1600 in Jerusalem. Syria made clear how to make peace with it, by simply giving it back its land, the Golan. Then the IDF's clashes in Jerusalem with the Palestinians. And now Israel is warning for a new war on Gaza. So it's clear what Israel wants

"as much land as possible with as less Arabs as possible". Most Israelis have accepted the "demographic argument", even the Likud. The fuzziness comes on the nature and borders of the Palestinian state (the devil is in the details). Most Israelies (the "centrists") want: a state without army, with Israel controlling its air space and borders, not including east Jerusalem, with lots of "tongues of land" and settlements annexed to Israel. This arrangement (they hope) will remove the "demographic threat" and "keep security" and avoid a strife with an angry and well organized minority (settlers & co). Obviously, this is a rotten deal for the Palestinians and they will reject it. But most Israelis think that Palestinian rejection (even if violent) can be treated by "conflict management" and the USA will let them get away with it (as it has been doing for the last 40 years). However, things may not go the way "centrists" want it. The USA may no longer comply. We'll see.

Levi is wrong, the Israeli PM cannot come with an honest answer, because if he was honest, it would make the existing Israeli long term goals much more difficult. If netanjahu would honestly tell the world that his long term goal is the continuation of the occupation, the continued bureaucratic oppression and quiet transfer of the Palestinians , the continued stealing of Palestinian land, then this would be outrageous! We all know that Israel has no intentions to return the Golan Heights to Syria and is perfectly at ease with a continued state of war with the military dwarf Syria for another 63 years! Telling this honestly to the world would destroy everything they have worked on so passionately the last 43 years! Then there is the 'fear of peace': Israeli generals, both in the army and in politics, are very, very afraid of losing their devine national status 'in case of peace'. They are prone to continue 'ha mikre' (the situation), without it they are nothing.

But after leaving Gaza and even removing their dead, the rockets continue to fall on Israeli towns. So why should Israel give up more of its homeland to create a new Arab state and then find rockets falling on Tel Aviv?

i said nothing about their recent genocidal internecine wars. millions have been slaughtered. nor have i mentioned the islamic terrorists targeting western nations. however, i do stand by the historical fact of a thousand year muslim imperial wars.

Your blabber about Moslems is as if the Moslem rulers did not have Jewish advisors and grand vizeers (ministers) nor a thriving Jewish community that got protection and respect and was treated with justice under the Islamic Shari'a laws. You just have short memories when people treat you well and elephants' memories when people treat you bad!

This is the number one question. When Israeli leaders refer to the peace process and then continue practices completely at odds with their words,it is mind-boggling. The first months after Haniyeh's election, he said very little, but he said it over and over again : "The problem is the occupation."

you need not remind us that without a strong israel defence forces the jews of israel would be annihilated. this threat has been repeated for over sixty.

the muslims have a thousand year old history of imperial and colonial wars. since the creation of islam, muslims had waged a war every year for a thousand years. they invaded lands all the way to spain and indonesia and norht africa as well as east and west africa.

spare tyre, in order that they keep the rest of the car, you'll be happy, right? What a guy!!

Article Thirty-One: /As to those who have not borne arms against you on account of religion, nor turned you out of your dwellings, Allah forbiddeth you not to deal kindly with them, and to behave justly towards them; for Allah loveth those who act justly./(The Tried ? verse 8). Seems like it's land thieves & dispossesers they don't like....

"Respect how our capital has always been and always will be Jerusalem." Why is everyone to respect this kind of statement that slip, slides away from all the important details--West J? East J? Jewish parts? Arab parts? You confirm Mr. Levy's core statement: "And why is it that if we were to know the answer, this would weaken our position and not strengthen it? Is vagueness tantamount to strength? Is trickery a modus operandi?"

The revealing of which would immediately bring worldwide condemnation and scorn, and possible sanctions, whereas maintaining the ambiguity of the last 40 years has allowed it to sidestep any resolution while it whittles away at their achievement, with the world acclimating gradually from one inroad to the next along its path towards the completion of those goals. This explanation would give perspective to the last forty years of the ambiguously stated policy that you question.

Yes, the palestinian asipirations are clear - just read the Fatah and Hamas Charters. The writings on the wall.

The extreme zionists leaders in israel want to establish a nucleus in palestine ,strong enough to extend its biosphere from Nil to Euphrat!!. This strategy, not a dream, is supported by the american and european jews . Presently the USA and most european countries assist israel in all aspects because the arabs and moslem countries are still weak!!. Israel's secure existence is conditioned with building confidence and partnership with all its neighbours, If they don't follow this line right now, then they are following the same path which has lead to AUSCHWITZ.Lastly but not least ,thanks to Mr.Levy for his obvious courage and clear mind.

Haven't ready any of the previous posts, but the author has a point. (Except for that Shakespeare part, no idea what he was talking about there). I say this a true supporter of Israel, with many family members in Israel - Israel needs to have a clear policy. The government needs to state explicitly what their goal is. The main reason this is needed is that the status-quo on the territories is just not acceptable. You cant just keep these people (palis) under an occupation without rights. Either pay to get them out, drive them out, incorporate them into Israel, or give them their autonomy. Article is on point.

Next time the Israeli PM is face to face with an Obama demanding answers he can respond by just stating his name, rank, and serial number... that should leave Obama speechless (and Bibi can then jump in the AIPACmobile and slip outta town!)

Israel already is 'eating its cake and keeping it too' and has control of America.

israel's fundamental goal is to survive. israel wants to survive physically and emotionally. while the left keeps writing articles about the rights of palestinians, those who are charged with leading the country, muust figure out how israel can survive with a looming nuclear iran. netanyahu and his advisors must figure out how they will respond to a possible renewed war coming from any of israel's neighbours, north, north-east, east or south-east. journalists have the luxury to make up stories about the evil zionist entity. however, they are not charged with ensuring the security of israel's six million jewish citizens.

You need to ask??? By her actions, Israel's government has made its desires quite plain: to possess and populate 100% of the West Bank and Gaza, to suppress, eliminate, imprison, destroy, or otherwise dispose of the Palestinian people through arrogant disregard of international law, common human decency. and defiance of her own religious law, to instill fear of nuclear war into her own people and the free nations of the world. Lastly, she wants the world to observe her provocative, offensive dynamics then agree with the lie that she is somehow engaging in defense. As for where her government is headed, who knows? But it is evidently down, down, down toward the abyss.

groups to accept the Quartet's three conditions: a) renounce use of violence against Israel b) accept the agreements the PA signed with Israel and c) accept Israel as a nation of the Jewish people. Territorial concessions to 1967 borders by most Israelis and politicians entail guarantees of security for Israel. The objectives initially in occupying these regions were for security measures in return for acceptance of the Jewish state. Technically speaking, since 1964 or for 46 years the Palestinian objectives have no real consensus or clarity either. The terrorism remains their modus operandi and a means to what end? In effect, this non-consensus on the Palestinian camp and settlements developing in the West Bank became the very distraction from achieving coexistence which was the objective of 1947's Balfour Declaration - accepted by Israel. That's a fundamental difference.

How are the Arabs claims clear? You have Arabs that this Tel Aviv and Jerusalem are settlements and you have Arabs who would be OK with '67 borders, and you have even more Arabs who are OK with '67 borders, for now. Also, although you have older Arabs who may have a clearish mind, what about the children they are raising? Have you seen what they teach them? '67 Borders may not [insert sarcasm] be their final demands...

Is stupid question and very clear you want to confuse people . Arab wants to destroy israel and jewish people . Jewish are trying to establish good relation with arabs without give them anything. Some Jewish are the perfect naif they think with arabs you could make peace but they hate us we gave palestinians best oportunities and they dropped them . SIMPLE

Ya! They don't recognize Israels right to exist and have nothing to show that they have earned a right to a state. The Pales are a ficticious people whose own Arab bretheren don't care about them. Only contribution is sucide bombing, firing mortars into Israeli civilian centers and supress womens rights.

All of you tough guys on this board who give no quarter to what Mr. Levy says, you have NO ANSWER to the the demographic threat problem. WAKE UP. As Niva Lanir makes clear in her piece today ('Israel is refusing to understand what Obama wants') Obama, truly new and different after 40 years (yes, in the desert) is actually your best friend. Bush was not. Get it straight.

Gideon Levy is absolutely right. It IS clear what the Muslims want. They want every grain of sand from Morocco to Pakistan. From Indonesia to Somalia. Jews want a tiny desert oasis, but apparently that is WAY too much...

As an Israeli I can tell you my number one aspiration: respect! Respect for our history and respect for our connection to the land of Israel. Stop portraying us as foreign invaders. Respect how our capital has always been and always will be Jerusalem. Respect our history of suffering in both Europe and under Islamic rule. Respect that the Arabs launched the wars against us and lost and that there are consequences for that. Then we can negotiate about the details...

What about the FRAUD that haaeretz PERPETUATED and PROMOTED re Israel fired MORE than a MILLION cluster bomblets into Lebanon? What about the LIE that your colleague amira hass made here in haaretz re settlers ABUSING a corpse? What about your TOTAL lack of DEMANDS from the palis to work towards real PEACE in your regular ONE-SIDED tirades against Israel? What about the COVER-UP by you and haaretz of the ANATOMICAL act hat your ex editor Landau DEMANDED Condi to do to Israel? As for your "no one, either here in Israel or anywhere in the world, knows what we really want", that's because when you say "what WE really want" (my EMPHASIS), you ACTUALLY mean "what I really want is that EVERYONE has to ADHERE to my PERSONAL beliefs and narratives". Isn't CLEAR by now, gideon, that NOT everyone is SEDUCED by you?

Israel knows exactly what it wants. It wants to keep the occupied territories at any cost, it wants to build more settlements, it wants to cleanse Jerusalem of most Palestinians, It wants to rebuild the Temple when the conditions are right, it wants to maintain a shell of a Palestinian government that keeps the Palestinians at bay and even collaborate with it on security issues, and what are the Palestinians doing? Chasing a mirage called a two state solution while Israel is going full speed ahead at colonizing the land they were lead to believe it will be their state.

Palestinian aspirations are to destroy Israel. Israel's aspirations are to survive, live in peace with its neighbors and with liberty and freedom for Jews everywhere. That puts them in mortal conflict. Gideon Levy is simply become so full of himself only because Israel has bent over backwards to tolerate his treachery aginst his own country and his own countrymen. It is impossible to conceive of a more disgusting personage that him. A pleading, obsequious, conniving, double dealing, backstabbing, traitor.

So much depends on what Mr. Levy gets at in this piece, of which these three sentences are the heart: "And why is it that if we were to know the answer, this would weaken our position and not strengthen it? Is vagueness tantamount to strength? Is trickery a modus operandi?" So much could be achieved by a more honest and honorable approach. The never-ending holding out for the hardest bargain you can squeeze from the current standoff -- always more, more, more -- rather than accepting that Israel already has gained after all this 78% and needs to give only 22% -- hurts Israel's reputation and interests immeasurably and threatens to condemn it finally to a one-state non-solution.

It's quite apparent that the one thing Israel doesn't want is peace. As long as the US veto ensures the continuation of the occupation and settlement expansion in E.Jerusalem, Golan and the West Bank, then the Israeli theocracy appears to be content to put up with world criticism and isolation, in the interests of a Greater Israel.

"... everyone knows what the Palestinians are after in the Middle East - the '67 lines, a state, a solution to the refugee problem, the right of return..." [G Levy] That may be what most common people want, but not what the leaders want. Unfortunately, only the leaders count when it comes to negotiations. Hamas is straight up through its Charter. Abbas wants the same, but has learned to temper his words in English, so as to not disrupt the $ flow. Fayyad sounds promising, but you see already what will probably happen to him if he continues to talk sense.

Best questions ever asked in a while. Please someone, like "Zionist forever," answer the questions. I'll bet the default answers to all questions are that "god gave us this land," or "this land has always been ours," or "build, baby build, for god is on our side." Otherwise I predict silence from all quarters, or more lies and obfuscations.

"For our enemies not to know is understandable" "Don't we at least deserve to know the ultimate gaol" Gideon Levy. No Mr Levy, you made yourself don't 'deserve to know' !

it is quite clear to me. Israel wants to purposely postpone any "clarification" while gaining time to establish an irreversible situation on the ground by expanding its settlements.

Everybody knows what Israel wants. They are too shy to say it though. Israel really wants ALL of the captured territory, minus the Arab inhabitants. They understand that they can't get all, so negotiations are about getting as much as this spineless world will permit. Clearly only two solutions make sense and represent fairness, back to 67 borders(with agreed swaps) and one state. The latter does not serve Israel's desire for a state with Jewish character, hence it is in their interests to make the former happen. That doesn't suit Israel's leaders.

do Israelis want as a country? They want the status quo. No changes. Keep the Palestinians in their ghettos and us, Israelis, pretending that everything is honky-dory. That is the ethos of the Israeli mentality. Thus, the question cries out for some other answer than what is obvious. Perhaps it is not what Israel "wants" as to what it needs? And in that sense the answer is obvious: It needs peace with the Palestinians, period. But given human nature one wants to have his cake and eat it, too. As you indicate, for 43 years Israel has occupied land that does not belong to it. Has denied the truth. One grows used to such negation. Generations are brought up with that idea. The answer is clear: We, Israelis, want what we have and we're not interested in giving it up. So, Gideon, your and your leftists homies, go away and don't bother us with the facts. We, Israelis, know what we don't want and that is peace with the Palestinians...we're better than that. Sad, but true.

Israel as a state has no goals. Only the politicians or political parties have goals. The primary goal of every Israeli politician is to avoid being the one who makes peace with the Palestinians. That will be a very rough road to travel, and every bump in that road will be laid at the feet of the one who makes peace. This ugly process will continue for a generation. The peace maker will be the villain in every Israeli history book. He will be the outcast. His life will be endangered. His family will be disgraced. A few of us lefties will pat him on the back. In order to have any chance of keeping a good reputation within Israel, an Israeli leader must avoid peace, continue settlement expansion, and have a clear victory in every fight with the Arabs.

The Israeli government under Prime Minister Barak made a detailed offer at Taba in January 2001. Arafat's response? Humiliating Shimon Peres in front of the TV cameras at the Davos World Economic Forum by making a false claim that Israel was using depleted uranium bullets against Palestinians. Arafat's response helped ensure the victory of Ariel Sharon in the February 2001 Israeli election. In 2008, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert made another detailed offer to the Palestinians which appears to have gone beyond what the Barak government offered at Taba. Mahmoud Abbas rejected Olmert's offer, helping to ensure Binyamin Netanyahu's election victory in 2009. The problem is not a lack of specificity in Israeli offers. The problem is that neither Arafat nor Abbas was prepared to give up the right of return--i.e., neither was willing to give up the "right" of millions of Arabs to move into pre-1967 Israel, eventually establishing an Arab majority there.

...because it's a "two-parter." Part one: Politicians' want lists all have one item in common--stay in power. Part two: In Israel's many-partied government (where coalitions are forged among competing interests who don't trust each other), constantly showing your hand is a good way to lose it--along with your head.

Gideon, I tell you what Israeli want they want you and all leftist to leave our country and haaretz stop destroy our nation and and our people that what we want

they don't remember when Europe wnted to solve "The Jewish Problem" How sad

Gideon Israeli Hater Levy states what the Palestinian goals are. He does not mention as the foremost one of them the eradication of Israel from the middle East. In any event, I will explain to Mr Levy Israeli goals. To protect her citizens within secure borders. To have the Palestinians and the Arabs recognize Israel as a Jewish state within secure borders. After the above has been achieved, to negotiate with the Palestinians a Palestinian state that will not compromise Israel's security.

By any means . Men Women or Children

Palestinian aspiration are clear: they want to destroy Israel. What want Gideon?

In the UN and with Iran and elsewhere

lf and when goals are articulated, the arabs want more and if lsrael agrees to that, well then they of course want yet more. Looking back, after '67 they wanted the '48 lines and before, no lines at all. We still remember when before '67 they stated their preference for the jews to be swept into the sea and so indeed they clearly and quite precisely state where they stand. lt seems to me quite clear that most jews, in or outside of lsrael just want to live in peace in lsrael by right. Unfortunately the reality is such that this wish can not be brought to pass as long as peace for the arabs is not as important as it is for the jews.

Which does not belong to them, see INTERNATIONAL LAW and GENEVA CONVENTION

They have been turfed out of more than 100 countries. For most it would be cause for concern, a chance to change their ways but for Israel it is all but another cause for war.

Enough of Levy the anti zionist that sees everything in a pro-arab way. Israel to disappear will probably satisfy him, or is it just his wish to be completely controversial and be able to write for Haaaretz, which I as a liberal, subscribe to but hate Mr Levy

I like how Levy conveniently ignores what Hamas' stated goals, even though they won the last Palestinian election. And even Fatah's Dahlan said they will never accept Israel. So who does Levy think he's fooling?

A very powerful article. Lots of truth in it. The Jewish People in Zion should take heed. Your Leadership is failing you.

Greater Israel is the goal. I mean,if you beleive that God gave you this land why give it away?

This is because Israel is the U.S.'s bitch, enslaved to its national goals, which don't include Mideast peace.

If they really had wanted their own state, they'd have accepted the 1947 UN Partition Vote.Instead,they opted to try and destroy Israel.Whenever Arafat or Abbas were offered generous Israeli peace proposals,these leaders turned those offers down.Why?Because,as long as the palestinians' will to destroy Israel is stronger than their will to get their own state,the palestinians will not have an independent state,since they simply do not deserve it.Why would Israel sign a peace agreement with Abbas,while hamas is holding Gaza and already has started conquered Judea and Samaria from the PA? Why? Because the PA is too weak/unwilling to do anything against hamas.Why would they?Because then they can justify the chaos and blame Israel.The difference between ISrael and the palestinians is that the former have decided to do something with themselves.Result: Nobel Prizes and technological breakthroughs on the Israeli side.On the pal side: great hummus, even though the Israeli one is much better.