I'm reminded of that scene in Independence Day when the president asks the alien soldier if there can be any peace and the alien says, "Peace?...No Peace...jsut die." Oh well!

The astounding obtuseness of Mr. Jacoby is breathtaking in its scope. His "understanding" of why the reputation of Israel has fallen so precipitously and dangerously is an example of of why it has fallen so. The unholy alliance of the Likud and the Republican Far Right, AiPAC and Alan Dershowitz, has led to frightening public arrogance and an undermining of the best of the admirable American Jewish tradition.

New settlements in disputed territories, a wall, destroying a Palestinian school. Gee I wonder why Israel's image has deteriorated. He states that the past 20 years has been 2 decades of appeasement, but I see very little appeasement going on. To Mr. Jacoby it seems that Israel can do no wrong and is entitled to trample on people that had been living in the region from long before 1948. Certainly, there are militant factions within the Palestinian community that share the blame for much the violence that has taken place, but Israel is not an innocent bystander in this violence.

From the moment that the British left Palestine in 1947, the Jews of Palestine have repeatedly offered to share the land with the Arabs of Palestine. The Arab response has been several wars followed by terrorist bombings, rocket attacks and an international campaign to defame Israel. The "right wing" Likud Party of Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted the principle of a two-state peace settlement. But the Arabs refuse to accept the reality of a majority Jewish state. Many Arabs would prefer to carry on the struggle to obliterate Israel instead of creating a peaceful and prosperous Palestinian state.

People see the wall, see the treatment of Palestinians, see the inability of Israeli government to stop its people from occupying land and consider Irael a fascist state. As for Jeff, he hasn't seen enough war. In a perfect world, he would be among the first in action.

Mr. Jacoby as well as Mr. Oren must be living on another planet. The largely socialist "new society" that was forged years ago little resembles the right wing Likud Party state over influenced by fundamentalist settlers (no different than any other fundamentalist groups). The propaganda the Israel government puts out which is rubber stamped by the right wing in the US keeps our tax dollar flowing to the tune of 3 billion a year. It's really all about the money. The good people of Israel deserve a better government and we deserve to have our tax dollars invested in our own country.

You've cast a very wide net in your reply. It is clear you want to suppress any contrary views that actually wish peace and proper government for all who live in this country. If Egypt and soon Libya can form democratic governments it should be the same for Palestinians who are much attached to their culture and land.

"and an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth will make us all blind and toothless."

You like to make things up I see. So any who see another path must be evil. You carry your tribalistic beliefs a bit far. Rein it in a little if you hope to have a conversation. Otherwise you will just wallow in a hate stew.

The issue with the peace process included the intransigence and outright lies by former PLO leader Yasir Arafat. It poisened much of the process. When Israel presented what amounted to a put up or shut up proposal, Arafat dithered. However, Arafat is dead, and the Palestineans are still at the very least economic refugees in limbo. If Israel incorporated them into Israel, or allowed them their own state or a federation with Jordan, all could move on. At present, who woudl conisder investing in West Bank given the uncertainty? Israel can have a settled peace with Arafat gone. It requires the political will to do so, more likely with Lieberman no longer a man with veto power over the current Likud administration.

The issue with the peace process included the intransigence and outright lies by former PLO leader Yasir Arafat. It poisoned much of the process. When Israel presented what amounted to a put up or shut up proposal, Arafat dithered. However, Arafat is dead, and the Palestineans are still at the very least economic refugees in limbo. If Israel incorporated them into Israel, or allowed them their own state or a federation with Jordan, all could move on. At present, who would conisder investing in West Bank given the uncertainty? Israel can have a settled peace with Arafat gone. It requires the political will to do so, more likely with Lieberman no longer a man with veto power over the current Likud administration.

Yes, only Israel is bad but all the Muslim countries who tolerate the ritual mutilation of little girls, raping women for seemingly any ridiculous reason and be-headings are are cool.

Only Israel is bad but all the Muslim countries who tolerate the ritual mutilation of little girls, raping women for seemingly any ridiculous reason (and then of course stoning them to death) and regular be-headings are are cool. Unbelievable.

Israel is a sovereign state in good standing with the most nations of the world. When it was created by international political census in 1948 no accomodations were legally ratified for the benefit of the Palestinians or any other group for that matter. Is Israel to blame for that? Then why should it be vilified for taking effectively reasonable steps to safeguard its borders and its society? After so many Israel and US attempts to compromise and settle, Arab and Palestinian blocs are ostensibly better off to whine and complain rather than negotiate and conclude. Maybe it is time to back away from a "concessionaire" peace-striving strategy.