Israel/Palestine
In reply to the discussion: Will there be peace if Palestinians lay down their arms? [View all]Israel's actions would indicate otherwise. The Gaza withdrawal is a key example. If Israel desired ALL the land then why pay such a steep political and economic price to abandon control, and empower an independent Gaza both economically and politically?
Most Israelis saw the 2005 withdrawal as an experiment to determine if the Palestinians truly desired independence over the destruction of Israel. They were given all the tools they needed to succeed. Many Israeli peaceniks, and myself, were cheering for them. Unfortunately we were proven wrong, while the right wing's predictions were all accurate.
What happened sucks. But to deny that it occurred makes no sense. Gaza was an opportunity for the Palestinians to prove their commitment to peace and independence. Instead they proved their commitment to war and terrorism.