Palestinians end their "violence," (b) Israel stops military actions, (c) security cooperation is established and (d) God and/or Allah will take care of the rest.
Pessimists will say nothing came of the conference. The ceasefire is fragile. In the best case, Sharon will fulfill his promise of withdrawing from the Gaza Strip and dismantling a few settlements. Then the trouble will start anew.
Optimists will say this is a good beginning. The cessation of "Palestinian terrorism" will create a new atmosphere in Israel. The first dismantling of the settlements will create a crucial confrontation. The settlers and the nationalist-messianic right will be defeated. People will realize that life can be different. The dynamics of the process will carry Sharon along and he will not be able to stop it, even if he wants to.
Who is right?
May 13, 2006
Prison serves an important function in the annals of every revolutionary movement. It serves as a college for activists, center for the crystallization of ideas, rallying point for leaders, platform for dialog between the various factions.
For the Palestinian liberation movement, prison plays all these roles and many more. During the 39 years of occupation, hundreds of thousands of young Palestinians have passed through Israeli prisons. At any given time, an average of 10,000 Palestinians are held in prison. This, the liveliest and most active section of the Palestinian people, is in continuous ferment. People from every class, every town and village, every political and military faction are to be found there.
Prisoners have ample time. They have an opportunity to learn, to think, to organize seminars, to concentrate full-time on the problems of their people, to exchange views, to work out solutions.
In order to prevent an explosion, the Israeli prison authorities allow these prisoners a large measure of communal life and self-government. This is a wise policy. In practice, the prisons resemble camps for prisoners of war. Clashes between the prisoners and the prison authorities are comparatively rare.
One of the results is that, in prison, the inmates learn Hebrew. They watch Israeli TV, listen to Israeli radio, become acquainted with the Israeli way of life. They do not become Zionists, by any means, but