[Miron Mizrahi]

Hi workers,

Being an Israeli I have been following this thread with quite a bit
of interest so I thought I might add my 2 cents.

I agree with most of what was said here - that pointing fingers
won't help, that objection to Israeli policy is often labeled as
anti-semitic (and is often not the case), etc.

One poster brought up the question "what proof do you have that
Israel is not targeting civilians"? Well, I do not have statistics
to back me up but I did a number of tour of duties in the
territories, in some rather unpleasant times in some rather
unpleasant locations and we did not target civilians. Not because we
were all humanitarians but because it makes no sense. It is a waste
of effort since civilians are not the enemy - so why bother? It is
exactly the same argument for Palestinians to try and target
civilians. It is a much bigger shock to see civilians killed. After
all we all expect in the back of our minds that soldiers will be
killed, but civilians are a totally diff. ball game. If Israel was
really targeting civilians, the number of casualties on the
Palestinian side would have been orders of magnitude higher. I am
sure that individuals in the Israeli armed forces have targeted
civilians and have been careless with regards to civilian casualties
but it is not the policy.

As far as whether Arafat has been negotiating in good faith. I think
this question needs to be asked by Palestinians not by Israelis or
3rd party observers. If I were an educated Palestinian I would want
to know why after 50 years of conflict and struggle my people is
still living in refugee camps? How come Europe which lay devastated
in ruins after WW2 managed to rebuild and flourish? even the East
that was conquered and opressed by the Russians had some return to
normalcy.
How come Germany and Japan who were the enemy and were destroyed in
the war are now industrial giants and full members of the
international community? and Palestinians don't even have a state
yet. After all, for the first 20 years (1948-1967) Palestinians were
under Jordanian rule. How come none of the billions my so-called
Arab brothers have, ever found its way to the poor Palestinians?

Not that I am trying to excuse Israeli behaviour or the role we
played but it is my opinion that Arafat has failed his own people.
He has failed to make the transition from a revolutionary (albeit a
terrorist one) leader to a political leader of a nation. This is why
there has not been any progress towards a final resolution. Israel
has come up, during the last 10 years, with several proposals to end
the conflict. The Palestinians have come up with none. Why is that?
Because the minute it happens (or the minute Arafat accepts an
Israeli proposal) he will cease to be the revolutionary mythological
leader that he is and become just another head of state. Arafat is
not interested in resolution. He is interested in seeing Israel
accused and paying for its sins. Maybe we should be but I don't know
what it will achieve. I do know, however, what it won't achieve -
the end to the conflict and a Palestinian state. The way I see it
there is only one solution - unilateral Israeli withdrawal to what
was agreed in Camp David and the erection of a Berlin-style fence
between the 2 people. Maybe after 50 years of separation, when the
current generation is no more, when the hate has subsided enough, we
will be able to have a dialog again.

Miron

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