It appears that Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas is close to reaching an agreement with several terrorist organizations to cease actions against Israel. Though this might indicate some progress, these cease-fires are very tenuous and never last long. In the long run you can't negotiate with terrorists, nor can you reason with them. You can only fight and destroy them, or they will destroy you.
Spokesmen from the organizations have said they will stop the violence if Israeli forces stop operating within the occupied territories. This is absurd, for everyone knows that these terrorist organizations aren't doing what they are doing because of Israeli actions within Palestine, they are doing what they are doing because their goal is to destroy Israel, plain and simple. It will only be a matter of time before they find some excuse to resume the terrorism, which will leave Israel no choice but to resume their own operations within Palestine.
Abbas can arrange all the cease-fires he wants, but the true test will be whether he has the backbone to destroy these terrorist organizations, for that is the only way peace can be achieved between the Israelis and Palestinians. Anything less simply isn't good enough.
Great post, Geoff. Very insightful. Unfortunately, I disagree.
ReplyDeleteCall me a hard hearted bastard if you wish, but I no longer give a damn about the "Palestinians". I think it's time for Isreal and the US to take a hard line stance with both them and Jordan. The Palis want their own state, right? Well, their state is on the other side of the Jordan river.
IMHO, Israel is perfectly within it's rights to push, using any means necessary (and I do mean any), the Palestinians over to Jordan.
Sorry, but I've been listening to the bull for a couple of decades now. I'm in no frame of mind to be tolerant of their greedy, land-grabbing, murderous ways.