CarolC, you seem to have forgotten about Ehud Barak's offer, which granted 98% of the territory Arafat had asked for. Arafat refused, and Barak was voted out of office. The Labor Party did try offering concessions, and it got the Likud candidate elected.

As to the War of Independence, you will note that your source said that the Arab states joined the war immediately following the declaration of independence. I cannot imagine any clearer case of self-defense than when a country is attacked immediately upon coming into existence, by leaders whose stated goals included the destruction of said country.