Re: LA Times Op-ed: Islam gets concessions; infidels get conquered
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I don't think that. I just think it is ridiculous that you blame "Arab culture" for Palestinian political problems that would clearly arise if other non-Arab groups were involved in similar situations. For instance you no doubt blame Arab culture for the Palestinians refusing partition in 1948, when it's patently obvious that no group whatsoever would ever accept the partition of a territory they consituted a large majority in to make way for a state project by recent immigrants.
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Fine, but most other displaced groups (and there have been many) have not stuck to an "all or nothing" policy, nor resorted to regular suicide bombings.
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Neither side is wholly good or wholly evil; the problem is the Israelis have always been far too pwerful vis-a-vis the Palestinians for a compromise solution to ever emerge.
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Of course neither side is wholly good or evil, and maybe given Israel's power it does not have enough incentive to offer a decent compromise. But it seems that the "all or nothing" mindset and political clout of those with such views amongst the Palestinians, is too widespread, too irrational, and too violent. There are simply too many Palestinian political players (and common people as well) who will accept nothing less than the total destruction of Israel. Now, that's crazy, to fight an irrational and unwinnable battle forever and in the process consign themselves and their descendants to misery on top of unfulfillment. I can't think of another displaced people that has ever adopted such an intransigent, irrational and self-destructive position as the fairly widespread view amongst Palestinians that nothing less than the total destruction of Israel will suffice. And they are thereby choosing to live in misery (instead of building up their own productive resources, and also striving for a compromise) because of that black-or-white viewpoint held by so many. It may well be a minority opinion amongst the Palestinians but it is also fairly widespread. And that is both stupid and crazy.
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