Let's acknowledge this is 2002 and assume the prevailing wisdom in America is correct. The Israelis are in a battle for survival against an enemy which is attempting to drive them into the sea.

Let's note that understandably, in an ongoing effort to best meet that threat, Israel has armed herself to the teeth, up to and including weapons of mass destruction.

Let’s further stipulate the Palestinians are the primary agents of that attempt to eradicate Israel. There are kindred nations with a religious and ethnic similarities who are their allies, but it is the Palestinians who have the most to gain from ridding the area of Israel.

We are aware these Palestinians are unable to prevent the Israelis from invading their territory at will, either in the longer run by building settlements or the shorter term by taking over towns. The Palestinians cannot prevent the Israelis from arresting them at will, cannot travel without passing through Israeli checkpoints, cannot go overseas and return.

They cannot prevent those actions because they do not have an army. The do not have tanks, helicopters, rockets, artillery, fighter jets, anything, really except light arms and suicide bombers. They do not have weapons of mass destruction.

From what we've seen, the Palestinians allies are unwilling to support them except with aid to families who have endured a loss, whether it is a loved one or housing. Even in the case of invasion, long- or short-term, their allies are not willing to do anything except supply relatively small amounts of money.

And we'll have to note the current military actions are all on Palestinian territory, with the exception of suicide bombers who have no significant effect upon Israeli military capabilities.

The questions are:

What is the Palestinian strategy for driving the Israelis into the sea? How will the Palestinians counter the armor, artillery, WMD, etc.?

How realistic is that strategy?

When should they get started?

Arf