This conflict is several thousand years old. The parties do not seem to be able to resolve it among themselves. Both sides make legitimate arguments and have legitimate claims. Dubya forsook the route of dialogue that had been started, urged and coerced by the previous administration and left the parties to sort it out themselves. This is the result. musicmic, and Jack the Lad, I appreciate your posts and the fact that you signed them and speak with conviction. While recognizing that much of what you say is based on fact, such as the Arab states refusal to recognize Israels right to exist, will you not agree that Sharon (beginning with his unwelcome visit) has done much to flame the passions of the Palestinians? It is my opinion that the world community MUST intervene or my grandson will be debating this in his manhood. And will you not also agree that Israel MUST make some concession on Jerusalem? That city is one of the holiest places in Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. Is there a resolution, in your minds, to this problem? Is there room for compromise? It seems to me that Netanyahu and Sharon have been responsible for inflaming this situation into the hopeless tit for tat death struggle that these two peoples are in. Any time one sees the use of suicide to make the point, it means that you will never win with superior force and fire power. It means the rebels/terrorists/freedom fighters are willing to risk all because there is no hope of settlement any other way. That is what the hawks don't get. You can kill the visionary, but never the vision.

Mick