CNN has recently shown footage from inside a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon - which makes for grim viewing. The interviewer said the people were living in sub-human conditions within the camps, and it was clear that if anything, that is an understatement.
The Arab League has taken the refugee disaster into account when it unanimously endorsed the revival of Saudi King Abdullah's 2002 Arab peace initiative. The League, at its summit meeting on March 28-29, also issued a joint statement calling on Israel to accept the terms of the initiative, which contains a reference to U.N. General Assembly Resolution 194 stipulating all Palestinian refugees be granted a return to their homes. Those not wanting to return should be given suitable compensation.
Israel will not accept this. Therefore, in its original form the initiative will always present an impasse. The initiative also talks of finding a just solution to the Palestinian refugee problem. Among the solutions fielded is allowing the refugees to return to the territories which would become a Palestinian state if the initiative were agreed upon - and again, giving compensation for the lives they were not allowed to live. This seems to present a solution but it is never elaborated: no figures are mentioned and no guarantees are given. This needs to be done if Palestinian negotiators are to take the initiative’s chances of achieving an agreement seriously, and not only on the refugee issue, but every issue covered by the initiative
The initiative offers Israel a sweet deal, in return for a full withdrawal from territories occupied after the 1967 war, the creation of an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital, and full right of return or suitable compensation for all refugees. The normalization of relations would be a fundamental benefit that Israel would get - which means full recognition of the Jewish state by all states in the Arab League, i.e., practically all Arab states. This is something which hadn't been on the table before it was offered at the Beirut Arab League summit in 2002. For states which have never had anywhere close to normalized relations with Israel - most notably Syria and Lebanon - this is understandably a hard pill to swallow and something they will not do easily.
The refugee issue is a sore point for both sides. Palestinians, even in the current generation, are understandably angry at Israel forcing their brethren off family or ancestral land and into squalor. No Palestinian negotiator will accept any agreement that does not make up for the denial of a potentially good life and years of sub-human conditions that Palestinian refugees have been forced to endure. This issue has the potential to destroy the chances of the Saudi initiative to bring peace and every future negotiation.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Arch Conservative
Here's a solution that will solve not only Israel's problem with uppity radical muslims but the rest of the world's as well.
Kill every uppity radical muslim on the planet.
People look back on Hiroshima and Nagasaki as terrible events. Those of us that aren't anti-American, blame america first leftists scumbags also realize that these were terrible but necessary events. The bombings by all historical accounts were what finally broke the Japanese will to fight and if we hadn't used the bombs there would have been an invasion into Japanese soil by the allies and many many more lives than were lost at Hiroshima and Nagasaki would have been lost.
Radical islam is not just America's or Israel's problem. Bombings in the UK, Spain, Bali, Africa......riots in France....problems in australia and many other nations. It seems that too many muslims do not want to place nice with the rest of the world...even in their adopted homes. Sooner or later the rest of us are going to have to unite and take some very drastic measures to confront the problem that is radical islam once and for all. Until then the resident kooks at BC like mooonraven and her cronies out there in the real world will continue to call people like me all kinds of names to imply that I'm overeacting and radical muslims will go on killing civilians the world over.
2 - MBD
"Until then the resident kooks at BC like mooonraven and her cronies out there in the real world will continue to call people like me all kinds of names to imply that I'm overeacting..."
Sounds like a little paranoia here.
The mind is like a parachute; it works much better when it's open.
3 - Liam Bailey
Arch Conservative,
You obviously buy into the bull that the U.S. government is trying to sell as its new policy on the use of nuclear weapons, that they actually lessen collateral damage, I'll say it again, bull. Maybe, and it is only a maybe, as many or more people would have been killed in an allied invasion of Japan, but baby's wouldn't have been born with two heads and other deformaties fifty years later. Hiroshima and Nagasaki were irrepairably damaged that day and everyone suffered, not just the soldiers who volunteered for it.
You talk about Muslim radicals not wanting to play nice the world over. A small numbe of Muslims are involved in terrorism and it is because they have been indoctrinated into the mindset the west poses a major threat to Islam, largely because of U.S. foreign policy since the early 80's and especially since BUsh Jnr took over. What you're basically saying is that because a few Muslims are radical enough to consider terrorism that we face a great threat and we should all unite against them. What do you think the radical clerics are preaching? Exactly the same as you are, and if we unite and really start to pose a threat then more Muslims would become extremist. Let me tell you this, Islam is the largest religion in the world so if you want to unite and face them prepare to be outnumbered. I'm taking nothing to do with it.
4 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Liam,
You ask. "what do you think the radical Moslem clerics are preaching?" Who do you think the radical Moslem clerics are, anyway? They are supporters of Hamas, HizbAllah, and of the PLO. The PLO talks peace, lulling stupid westerners and Israelis, and Hamas and HizbAllah talk a straigtht line of murdering off Jews and Americans.
Bear in mind that I do not buy into any "bull" hustled by the Americans. Nor do I buy into the "bull" hustled by the traitors in Jerusalem. I live here, and know better. But I do know who my enemies are - and I hate to say it, the EU and American government are among those enemies.
The Israeli government is preparing to do something very controversial very soon. They just framed one of their minor critics. I can feel the blade of the dictatorship swinging closer and closer...
5 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
While you folks are chawing over Liam Bailey's presentation of the Saudi "peace" plan for Israel, here is a different view from Palestine Media Watch.
I think neither view is accurate. The Israeli government will do anything it can to run away from Judaism and de-Judaize the country. But the Arabs who want to destroy this Jewish country don't care about that or the fact that their best allies are in the prime minister's office in Jerusalem.
6 - Liam Bailey
At the risk of ruining our improving relationship Ruvy, what the hell are you talking about? If you're government really wanted to de-judaize the country they would grant the Palestinian refugees full right of return and accomplish it no problem. This would also probably bring a lasting peace agreement between Israel and the surrounding Arab states a lot closer.
As for the Palestine Media Watch, story it is not even factually correct. Wat happens when you remove the facts an opinion is based on... hang on, no cancel that,
If an opinion falls flat in Jerusalem but no one is around, does it make a sound?
7 - Arch Conservative
First of all Liam.......there is no maybe about it......An invasion of mainland Japan would have cost more than the number of lives lost at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This is something that there is a general consensus about among credible historians. You're probably accustomed to using revisionist history to support your arguments and I know you can't help yourself.
"What you're basically saying is that because a few Muslims are radical enough to consider terrorism that we face a great threat and we should all unite against them. What do you think the radical clerics are preaching? Exactly the same as you are"
What I am saying and what radical muslims clerics preach are nothing alike. I am advocating the killing of those muslims who would seek to kill us, not all muslims. The muslims clerics condone the killing of all westerners wether civilian or not.
Was it American foreign policy that caused radical muslims to bomb the nightclub in Bali? Was it American foreign policy that made radical muslims murder Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh? Was it American foreign policy that caused radical Muslims to riot in France? Was it American policy that caused the situation at the Munich Olympics? Was the 83' Marine barracks bombing in Lebanon George Bush's fault? Is it America's fault that so many muslims emigrate to European nations and show nothing but utter disrespect and disdain for the native culture and law while preaching hatred for and violence towards everything Western in Mosques?
Your tired leftist attempts to justify radical islam and blame America for the world's problems ring so very hollow Liam. Save your bullshit for someone else because I aint having any of it.
8 - Arch Conservative
Oh and I forgot to point out another ignorant statement you made when you claimed Islam is the religion in the world Liam.
It's not. CHristianity is. There are currently and estimated 2.1 billions Christians in the world and 1.3 billion Muslims.
Maybe you had better think next time before you make so many obviously false assertions in your post Liam.
9 - MBD
"Was it American foreign policy that caused radical muslims to bomb the nightclub in Bali?"
More likely it was Australian.
10 - Liam Bailey
Arch Conservative,
I have done obviously the same google search as you did, and found a site that lists your figures for world religions. I see that Jehovah Witnesses, Evangelical, Quakers and a further 9 other religions. You can't count all of them together because they are religions in their own right. If we were to split them into their individual grops and then look at how many of the Christians were actually devout in their faith, i.e. even went to church anymore, Muslims would be far and away the biggest religion.
As for my assertions that American foreign policy since the early eighties has been a major contributory factor in the rapid rise of Islamic extremist terrorism, I wrote an analysis article on the subject, it was my first political article.
And a more recent article on how it has further excacerbated the problem since 9/11.
11 - Liam Bailey
What I am saying and what radical muslims clerics preach are nothing alike. I am advocating the killing of those muslims who would seek to kill us, not all muslims. The muslims clerics condone the killing of all westerners wether civilian or not.
Actually what you said was:
Kill every uppity radical muslim on the planet
All radical means is an extraordinarily devout faith in Islam, so you are advocating killing everyone who believes in their religion devoutly, whether they seek to kill us or are involved in violence or not.
12 - Arch Conservative
Liam would you kindly stop putting words in my mouth.
I don't need an idiot like you to tell me what I meant when I clearly explained what I meant.
13 - Liam Bailey
Ooooohhhhhh touchy.
Lets just leave it at this then. You're statements are enciting hatred and violence, that is now an offence under the War on Terror which you so clearly are a fan of. You are as radical as the Islamists you clearly hate so much. It's time to get a grip on reality
14 - MBD
Arch is so "bold", "agressive" and "patriotic", I have to believe that in a prior life he was Audie Murphy.
On the other hand, it could be that Arch just watches too many war movies.
15 - Dave Nalle
As for my assertions that American foreign policy since the early eighties has been a major contributory factor in the rapid rise of Islamic extremist terrorism
Which in no way justifies or excuses ANY of that terrorism. Don't blame the victim.
Dave
16 - MBD
"a major contributory factor"?
Obviously.
17 - MCH
"Arch is so "bold", "agressive" and "patriotic", I have to believe that in a prior life he was Audie Murphy.
On the other hand, it could be that Arch just watches too many war movies."
It's the latter, MBD. Archie has never served.
18 - MBD
It helps to prove the hawks are the ones who didn't serve.
19 - Clavos
Helps what?
20 - MBD
"Helps what?"
It helps to prove the hawks are the ones who didn't serve.
21 - Clavos
Not always.
22 - MBD
How about 95%?
23 - Clavos
Does it matter?
24 - MBD
What do you think?
25 - Clavos
Doesn't to me.