Replies

With yet another deadly bombing in Jerusalem coinciding with the bombing of
the UN in Baghdad and a bombing by Muslim extremists, it is past time for
we realized that terrorism, including Palestinian terrorism, is the root
of the mideast problems today.

Peace plans in the past assumed that concessions would end the terrorism;
instead, it encouraged it. Yet the US and EU seem to eager to assume
Israel needs to make concessions and show 'restraint'. But are there
any concessions we would or could make to Osama Bin Laden to satisfy
his hatred? Were we 'restrained' in our removal of the Taliban?
So why do we assume that Hamas and Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah, the
Lebanese group that killed over 200 Marines in Lebanon in 1983 are
any more 'reasonable' and any more deserving of consideration?

The same holds for the Palestinian leadership. Abu Mazen, the Prime
Minister, was involved in the infamous 1972 Munich Olympics slaughter.
Yasir Arafat was a terrorist who in the past ordered the killing of American
citizens, and even up to today he aids and abets organizations who
do the same. Among the dead last week killed by the Hamas bus bomber
were yet more American citizens. And yet in the news we hear
of Secty of State Powell calling on Abu Mazen and Arafat to somehow
pacify the situation, despite the clear evidence that Palestinian
leadership has actively funded and encouraged terror and bomb-making
cells.

We should not support in any way any organization that gives legitimacy
to terrorist organizations or terrorist-sponsoring authorities. Yet
we send millions to the Palestinians in aid, and EU and the UN sends
millions more - a big mistake. We should not advance any settlement
that gives powers to any group that aids terrorism. We should defer
the Palestinian question as an internal matter for Israel to handle
until there is a non-violent palestinian leadership that forgoes
completely to path of terrorism.

Let's try a new path.
Ten years of recognition of the PLO and negotiation with
them has led to ten years of terror in Israel and elsewhere.
There cannot be peace without security and there cannot be security
until terrorism is destroyed and abolished. So the first step
to peace is clear: Abolish terrorism, completely and once and for all.