The partition plan involved separated palestinian areas. Or rather, areas connected with bridges over a number of buffer- zones. What was the counter- offer, the only sensible option imo., was to grant the palestinians a state with one border. This was not an option at all for the Israeli negotiators, and the talks broke down. As many of them would say, to negotiate with the terrorists in the first place would be unacceptable, as would granting them a bastion for staging attacks against Israel, and these terrorists should simply be told to accept any kind of offer made. Of course, one could blaim Arafat and his entourage for the same stern approach, but the fact is still that none of the suggestions made was acceptable for any of the parties. That also many Israelis would say that they should not negotiate about what they could take by force, and that many palestinians tried to bring down the peace talks by demanding completily unacceptable terms, like the right of return, or the borders from the UN draft anno 1947, in an attempt to rouse it's "allies" in the neighbouring countries as well as more of the inland hardliners, should perhaps be mentioned as well.

There's things about the situation today that should not be ignored, however. The palestinians have no particularly effective government, they have no authority, no police, much due to the effort of the Israeli government. It's really an unhappy situation the way that Israel plays into the hands of the fanatics like this, more or less manufacturing support for the Hamas. Because with no palestinian authority, there will be no negotiations, because the authorities (All right, Arafat) are unable to guarantee anything in the areas of security. Of course, the Israelis know this, and that makes it even worse. Shame about the reluctance from the UN about involving themselves any specific plans, though.

It's horribly funny, really. Our own sort of failure ex-prime- minister is now working in the foreign committee of the parliament, and regularly reports back from the west- bank and Ramallah, and the reports go like this: "Yea', it's pretty much chaos everywhere, and the situation is graver than ever. No, don't see much hope for anything to change soon, no. Oh, yes, [concerned voice reserved for speaking about grandparents]Arafat is relatively well." Then he will get somewhat roused and state with utter conviction: "we must follow the rules! Noone can be allowed to summary excecute people and terrorize the civillian inhabitants! Must have the US involved! Implement the Roadmap!" and so on. And the problem is that soon his pet grandfather will be beyond saving, and the rest of the hope for any palestinian state will crumble along with the infrastructure and the palestinian sense of nationality.

However, how long will this take? Fifty years, perhaps? A hundred? Meanwhile, people are born and die in enclosed "refugee cities", living largely off charity. Still, the reluctance for anyone to involve themselves actively means that these people will continue to live like this and there will continue to be support for the only real institution in the areas - Hamas. Obviously, Israel sees this slow decomposition as an option, but I am truly sorry to see that there are no more effort put into this from the ones that have any real power in the matter.

Oh, well. Rant over.