During times of "peace" in that area, the Palestinians live under Israeli occupation, with many of their civil liberties, such as travel, controlled by Israel. It's a bit like living in New York and needing to ask the Chinese to travel to Long Island, pass through a Chinese checkpoint, and so on. Over there that's not all bad, but not all good, either.

Their is an internationally agreed upon division of lands, too. Israelis build new villages upon land which is agreed belongs to the Palestinians. The US from time to time asks the Israelis to stop that, to little avail. The Palestinians resent the encroachment, and do something to try to stop it. Then the Israelis rachet up their restrictions, on work, travel, etc.

The Palestinians get fed up with all that from time to time. They really have no effective way to stop the kibbutz's who have Israeli army protection from pushing farther and farther into their territory. Just, I suspect, as you and I would. The Israelis are not much better at being an occupation force than anyone else. So, inexcusably but maybe understandably, one of them blows themself up in an Israeli mall, or drops a mortar round on an army outpost, or snipes at the kibbutz.

Then the Israelis attack, with American supplied helicopters, rockets, tanks, etc. (We shouldn't wonder why they resent America a bit.)

Then some Palestinian blows him- or herself up, and so on.

Now, it seems to be "terrorism" if you aren't allowed an army, like the Palestinians. If one is allowed an army it's "retribution". The truth is that it's gone on for years and years, and there is no beginning, middle or, apparently, end. There is no more "retribution", they just hate each other, with justification on both sides.

The problem as I see it, sitting back in the good ol' US, is that any nut with very simple armaments can drop mortar round and destroy any peace process, sort of like in Northern Ireland. Drop that round on an army outpost, and the "retribution" and violence has started all over.

What is scary is that if you are Israel or Palestine, Northern Ireland or Ireland, either one, your policy vis a vis your neighbor is determined by any nut who can get their hands on a mortar or AK-47. In effect one or two people on the extreme can dictate the policies of both sides.

I don't think there are any innocents in the Middle East. I know every one of my Jewish friends is fed up with Israel as an occupation force, and would like to see Israel work with the Palestinians to stop the violence, and see as a precondition that Israel stop encroaching upon Palestinian territory and civil freedoms.

There's always another side, and another side to that. Especially in the Middle East.

Arf