<There's the myth that Israel is this plucky little country surrounded by enemies who simply want to drive them into the sea. I believed it when I started on this board. Didn't question it.

Myth? Certainly Israel is smaller and outnumbered by its enemies. Militarily stronger, perhaps, fortunately for them. Over half the civilian Palestinians want to drive Israel into the sea, by the most recent vote. Arafat wants to see Israel driven into the sea, but won't get easily pinned down on it, since it's bad for his image. Damn straight the radical Palestinian groups doing the suicide bombings want to see Israel driven into the sea.

In fact, please humor me and show me an Arab leader who does NOT want to see Israel driven into the sea, except when he's trying to sweet-talk the U.S. into something. "Israel's right to exist" is paid lip service when talks are being held and money is waved, but this soon goes by the wayside when it becomes less useful.

However, having bit of compassion for the Palestinians, I had to research some of the issues. The reality, known well to Israeli historians, is that the wars were fought for one of two purposes.



One, reluctantly to protect Palestinians, who were raped, pillaged, killed, and driven out of the country which was theirs, too. They were given citizenship in Israel.

Second, the Israelis wanted to expand. For land.



The Arabs attacked Israel practically the second the U.N. announced its creation. The nation did not have much time to do a lot of "expansion," never mind raping and pillaging. The Arab intention was the annihilation of the new nation. To drive them into the sea, if you will.

The Palestinians have been persecuted, given second-class citizenship, and been the object of what very responsible Israelis regard as ethnic cleansing.

What kind of citizenship and rights are Jews given in Arab nations? Second-class? Maybe none?

Most Arabs want Israel dead, dead, dead. They will accept no alternative. If you can think of some way this can be incorporated into a reasonable compromise, you're a better man than I am.

Your pendulum has swung way too far.