re: Yoo Hoo - Alan
As usual your points are well thought out.
I like many others used to be in the so called "leftist wing", peace rallies etc etc.
Had a big wake up call after Arafat knocked back the most generous offer ever put on the table and as best as the Israelis could ever make.
Whilst he was "negotiating" preparations were being made to stage this new Intifada which was not a spontaneous uprising like the first one in 88-89.
I and many others deserted to peace now movement because I realized that the peace the Israelis are talking about and the peace Arafat is talikng about are as close as you put it, black and white.
Arafat wants piece, bit by bit till there is nothing left. Israel wants peace but not by commiting national suicide.
Palestinians are getting the short end of the stick, but more so from their own than from the Israelis and they are slowly beginning to wake up to that fact.
Right now, I would not shoot a kid, but if the kid has a sling shot and it can kill me (remember David and Goliath) I will shoot the kid.
The kids are goaded on by the masked heroes who are always in the background and I would really prefer to shoot him.
I have given up on this current geb\neration of Palestinians because the hatred that has been indoctrinated into has poisoned them completely. They are taught from kindergarten on. I don't blame them. If I was in their shoes, no doubt I would be the same.
But until a generation grows up that will actually understand that they have been used as pawns for over 50 years by their own, maybe they will learn to accept the Israelis and then peace can be at hand.
Until that time comes, the motto in Israel to the government re the army "let our boys win".
I am not that black and white not to acknowledge the tragedy of the situation.
But I am definately balck and white when it comes to survival.
And in order to survive over there one must think like them.
If you were lost in the desert here in Australia, you would survive if you could think and live like the Blackfella (I use that term without mailce, I swear) but if you were lost and had to think and live like a whitefella, you wouldn't last 10 minutes.
