"I've always been led to believe that the "Settlements" were built on land purchased from the Palestinians. Am I mistaken here?"

The settlements are on land which is Palestinian by virtue of a UN brokered peace treaty signed in 1967 by the Israelis, among others. Currently, they occupy 5% of the Palestinian land. There was no sale.

The only "title" to the land the Israelis claim is that given to them by the Old Testament. Really. The Old Testatment. First part of the Bible. The super-Orthodox Jews regard that title as enough, and build.

The Israeli politicians don't have to courage to face them down, would never get re-elected if they did.

Every once in a while the US and UN ask the Israelis to stop building settlements on Palestinian land. Doesn't stop 'em.

The Clinton-Barak peace proposal left intact all the settlements and offered land equivalent to 40% of the appropriated territory in exchange. Sort of like stealing $100 from you, and offering $40 to settle. There were no more guarantees the Israelis would not build more settlements than the Palestinians have now, either. So, Palestinians could look forward to more settlements on their land.

No self-respecting Palestinian politician could have accepted that proposition. After all, if Mexico built town on 5% of the US and offered to replace some of the land, a US politician might have problems, too.

It was easy for Clinton to say it was a good deal, it wasn't his land and he was going for a Nobel Peace Prize. It was easy for Barak to say it was a good deal, he had the Palestinian land. Arafat wouldn't go for it. Makes sense to me, if not the folks on this board.

Most people on this board think the Palestinians should have happily accepted the Israelis building settlements on their land, should have accepted a peace proposal much like the last one only with less land. Add nationhood for Palestine with Israel recognized by the rest of the Arab world and that's about it. Since they didn't accept, the Palestinians virtually asked for whatever brutalities the Israelis choose to inflict

That proposal had no more guarantees the Israeli right-wing would behave any better than they have to date. And it's tough to stand up the the religious right-wing. After all, no matter what Barak and Clinton came up with there's still the Old Testament.

Tough to rewrite that.

Arf