One of the other factors which is of great importance and is underweighted in this and other venues is the non-democratic organization and deep corruption of the Palestinian political structure (and other Arab-ruled countries). There is a plug in the effort to achieve peaceful change at the expense of so many of the current 'leadership' who would lose their nice living quarters and travel benefits.

The Arab world has long tolerated a controlled media which says far more terrible (and not related to truth) things about the West than the most jingoistic of Western reporters. And Arab youth has been raised on hatred of Israel, virulent anti-Semitism(at least the JEWISH semites) and falsification of history, right up to Arafat himself.

Whatever you may believe about Sharon, he was elected by a democratic society who knew what they were getting. PATTON! <=I owe that to Thomas Friedman.