Here is a link to Christopher Hedges' article from Harpers Magazine itself.

The fact that an article gets quoted in a partisan publication in no way discredits the article itself. After all, that same publication could well have decided to reprint the Gettysburg Address or the preamble to the American Constitution, or the Gospel according to St Matthew. As could any other partisan publication, backing either side.

"The only way peace will come between Israel and Palestine is for one or the other to fight it out, and the winner will dictate the terms of peace." That sounds like something which is self evidently correct. In a lot of conflicts it is true, maybe in most wars. But I believe, and I am not alone in believing that, in the type of conflict in the Holy Land, it just doesn't work that way, any more than it ever could in Ireland.

In America it was indeed possible for the newcomers to effectively totally replace the native population, and in the end eliminate any possibility of continuing conflict. But those were very special circumstances which do not apply in the Holy Land.

If peace has to depend on victory, there will be no peace, merely at best temporary cessations of violence. Again the Irish analogy applies. The only way that "victory" can be achieved is if one side is wiped out. The horrible thing is, sooner or later, that could indeed happen.

Peace through a mutual turning away from a search for victory is possible. Everyone knows what the broad outlines of that would involve. It's been outlined repeatedly in this thread. It was within reach only a few months ago.

The responsibility for throwing it away in my view lies every bit as much with Sharon and his friends as it does with Arafat - but what's the point of going off into arguments about that?

There's a technique in negotiating which involves the representative from each side try to state as clearly and strongly and effectively as possible their understanding of the other side's position. The other side cooperates by correcting what is said.

I think that is a technique that could be very useful in this kind of discussion.