The most immediate issue that must be addressed is Israel's occupation and its concomitant inflammatory aspects that prevent any possibility of a solution for Palestinians and Israelis. Manifestations of the occupation that are particularly problematic in any resolution to the situation include the Separation Wall, thought by many Israelis to be a barrier to future terrorist attacks by Palestinians. The wall is perceived by Palestinians to be mainly an attempt to annex more land and water in the continuing Israeli strategy of creating "facts on the ground"-a tactic of occupation which creates a physical infrastructure which will be difficult to eradicate and can be sold to the rest of the world as unreasonable to cede.
Another important facet of the "facts on the ground" strategy is the creation of ever more "settlements." The settlements are Israeli enclaves in the heart of Palestinian territory; built quickly and well fortified, they are frequently inhabited by the most zealous religious Zionists, and are flashpoints for conflict.21
As Avnery points out, though, while Palestinians are suffering the bulk of ill-effects from the occupation, it takes its toll on Israelis, too, creating a climate of fear through suicide bombings that kill non-combatants, affecting the economy, and compromising the moral fiber of the nation. In other words, the occupation is not good for the occupiers either.-SRP
November 25, 2000
Dear (in both senses of the word) settler,
Let's not waste time on nonsense words like "dialogue," "conciliation" and such words cherished by the feeble-minded. Let's face the fact that you don't like me and I do not like you. You believe that my friends and I are "destroyers of Israel," people who conspire to evict you from your homes and turn them over to the Arabs. I believe that you and your friends are destroyers of Israel who conspire to impose their will on the state and drag it into an eternal war that may lead to its destruction.