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• Tuesday, January 13, 2009 02:48 PM

  @Publicola

  Xanthro: "if someone is a Jew Hater, I will continue to be disagreeable."

  Not agreeing with Israeli policy does not demonstrate that one is a Jew hater.

  I disagree with some Israeli policy. That has little to do with Jew Hating.

  Most of the people who state they are just disagreeing with Israeli policy are only doing so because Israel is Jewish. That is Jew hating.

  If you hold Israel to some standard that you don't hold other countries, then you are engaged in Jew Hating. Your (not saying you specifically) actions are driven by Jew Hating, not policy disagreements.

  Xanthro: "Israel no longer insists that all the West Bank and Gaza be part of Israel"

  Israel, as a country, has never "insisted" on that, even though that was clearly been the goal of much of the Israeli-right and Israeli-right leaders (including Israel founding-era terrorist Menachem Begin - who was Israel's PM during the '82 Lebanon War).

  A large enough segment of Israeli society did not want a two State solution, that such an outcome was not possible.

  Now, a exceedingly large part of Israeli society, and Palestinian as well, support a two State solution.

  [Cut out the part that really doesn't address anything. I understand there are still a minority of people on either side that see this in purely religious terms]

  Xanthro: "If the PLO ran the West Bank and Gaza as competently as Hamas has run Gaza over the last year, Palestine would already be a State."

  Possibly, though Israel's continued settlement expansion would have undermined said peace process. That said there's plenty enough blame to go around on both sides for the continuing conflict, to be sure.

  The PLO was never very efficient in running administration. Graft and corruption being the primary faults. Hamas seems relatively clear of this.

  Xanthro: "If like in 1982, Hamas understands that they can't military defeat Israel, and that a two-state solution is the only possible outcome, then Israel gains, because it has another entity to peace talks."

  While I hope that's what happens here I'm far from optimistic on that. And if Hamas is instead rendered to weak to govern then it may be that the al Qaeda-types will gain control of Gaza - a decisive victory for the anti-peace elements in both Israel and Palestine.

  Hamas is able to govern right now. Police man the streets, there's no looting to speak of, despite reports, food and water are still being distributed.

  What Hamas can't do, is defeat Israel on the field of battle, even in territory it has controlled and prepared for battle for more than a year.

  I'm rather optimistic, because it appears that Gaza Hamas is trying to reduce civilian casualties, and it appears the leadership in Gaza is ready to end the fighting. It's the exiled leadership, which doesn't actually have to deliver anything for its people that is delaying a cease fire.

  —Xanthro Read Xanthro's other letters
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