Outrage

Many times over the course of the last 50 years, we've heard both Palestinians and Israelis calling on specific events or actions outrageous and beyond the pale. Seemingly trivial matters are turned into the most important event of the millenia. Until, of course, the next event or action.

Thus, it comes as no surprise that the Israeli action to further reduce Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasir Arafat's compound in Ramallah to rubble (except for a few rooms where he actually was living and working) caused tremendous outrage in Palestinian quarters although world reaction was muted in comparison to Israel's previous siege of the compound in March.

Palestinians came out to protest Israel's actions, which were precipitated by yet another murder-bombing that killed six Israelis. Palestinians have not been seen rallying against the use of suicide/martyr/homicide/murder bombers. Israel rages because they cannot finish the deal with Arafat once and for all.

Articles get written about how the Palestinian plight from 33 years of Israeli occupation has caused such angst among the Palestinian people that terrorism is the only outcome. More learned observers will note that terrorism was used prior to 1967 (the PLO was organized in 1964) and has been used nearly every time there is a reported breakthrough in talks that would actually end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. This intifada is different than the first one in the 1980s, in that this time suicide bombing has become the primary tool, rather than rock throwing teenagers. Immolating the future in this manner is an outrage.

The outrage should be cast on Palestinians who feel that destroying another generation of Palestinian youth who would rather immolate themselves than try and coexist with Israelis who aren't going anywhere. Many, including Thomas Friedman, argue that Israel's settlement policy is the stumbling block that prevents a meaningful agreement. Settlement policy isn't exactly smart, but it's not the stumbling block. Settlements require that housing is built - housing that can be occupied by anyone. If Israel withdraws from any territory where settlements are located, what happens to the housing? It goes to whomever is holding the territory. In the case that land is transferred to the Palestinians, that would be a tremendous upgrade over the refugee camps where many currently live. The UN allowing the conditions to fester and failing to prevent terrorists from using the camps as bases is an outrage.

Further, the camps provide a ready-made angst for Palestinians that Arafat and the terrorist organizations use to recruit new members. There's no incentive to eliminate the camps from the Palestinian point of view because it casts them in the role of victim. They want to claim to be Israel's victim, once and always, yet the truth and facts dictate that they are victim to the whims of Palestinian leaders unwilling and unable to make concessions or speak the truth of accepting Israel side-by-side with a Palestinian state and Arab leaders unwilling and incapable of learning that Israel will not go quietly into the night. Coexistence and acceptance of Israel's right to exist is the only acceptable outcome. Anything else is an outrage.

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