Annan calls Israel an expropriator of Arab land....

haven,

If you're a neo-realist, then please tell me how current International Law would be anything but biased. I recall how 98% of the Greek population was against US intervention in Bosnia because they share a religion, ignoring the rape, murder, and ethnic cleansing. In International politics, we see the same consistently whether it be friends of the US supporting our policies, or 3rd World or Arab countries 'hanging' together, etc.

I cannot say with certainty whether a peaceful approach for the Palestinians would work. I think that times have changed, and that it has the possibility or working. Continued attacks against civilians will keep the US from ever pressuring Israel, keep hawks in power in Israel, and give those hawks excuses to do what they want.

I also understand about the negotiating position of Israel, and have mentioned previously that I am concerned about Israel gaining too much leverage once the Palestinians halted all attacks (unless you have a Rabin or maybe a Peres on the Israeli side). So if these two combatants feel compelled to war with each other, let'm attack the infrastructure. Attacking civilians will only harden and further entrench both sides. Israel will never move towards peace if it's civilians are targeted. No country has ever accepted that, and none ever will. Supporting suicide bombers is support for an eternal conflict.

BTW, when was the peaceful-protest period?

 

I really think the UN should send peace keepers. I understand that Palestinians would be reluctant to report known potential terrorists to Israel, thought it does occasionally happen. I think they would be much more willing to do it to a nuetral force, like the UN.

Also any patroling and policing the UN does won't be, and won't be seen as an attempt to secure more land for Israeli settlements, to make living conditions hard for the Palestinians so they will leave, etc. They would probably be more effective in stopping the terrorists, and having them there would prevent disproportionate force used by the Israeli military.

Also having the two sides not in constant conflict, may allow them both to cool down. That in-turn could lead to meaningful peace talks, with the UN as potential mediaries and brokers, since by then they would have had a birds-eye view of some of the problems both sides face.

 

FranchiseBlade,

Palestinians that inform for Israel aren't very popular amongst their <i>brothers</i>.............why would informers for the UN peacekeepers get treated better? If the UN forces aren't proactive and seek out info to thwart Palestinian attacks against Israel, then they would be in a position of attempting to stop the IDF from reprisal operations (as Cohen has noted).

 

The reason why informers wouldn't be looked down as much if they informed to the UN peace keepers, is that the UN isn't currently oppressing them, or aren't their enemies that want to drive them from the land, and keep them from ever establishing their own homeland. That's one huge difference.

I think the UN peacekeepers should be proactive as well. I think they would be better at it than the IDF.

 

FranchiseBlade,

That is based under the idea that the concept of <i>Palestine in Phases</i> will be forgotten by all Palestinians.

If <i>Palestine</i> is <b>permanently</b> bounded on something similar to the Pre-1967 War border, I would view that as a defeat for Arafat, Fatah, PLO etc.

 

Just to clear up what was actually in the article...

"Annan, who met with President George W. Bush later at the White House, drew applause from students assembled in a university field house as he repeatedly criticized Israel and its policies."

 

Originally posted by Zac D
Just to clear up what was actually in the article...

"Annan, who met with President George W. Bush later at the White House, drew applause from students assembled in a university field house as he repeatedly criticized Israel and its policies."

Hey, right1! What's that all about?

 

Whoops! And this whole time I was thinking George W. Bush criticized Israel and its policies .