Ethnic Cleansing: Some Common Reactions
by Ran HaCohen

Almost all the fire was aimed at my claim regarding the ethnic cleansing carried out by Israel in 1948. These copious reactions reaffirm my argument that this is still a taboo in pro-Israeli discourse. Even when protesting the present "quiet" ethnic cleansing in the Occupied Territories or warning of future Israeli intentions is tolerated, saying that Israel owes its existence as a Jewish State to ethnic cleansing is evidently beyond the pale. As I said, fighting the present strangulation of the Palestinians should be the top priority of any peace activity on the ground; but on the level of consciousness, coming to terms with the ethnic cleansing of 1948 is an inevitable precondition for reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians.
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Israel to kill in U.S., allied nations

Israel is embarking upon a more aggressive approach to the war on terror that will include staging targeted killings in the United States and other friendly countries, former Israeli intelligence officials told United Press International.
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  thanks to American Samizdat

False witnesses
ITC approval of John Pilger's documentary is a shot across the bows of mainstream Middle East coverage

The intifada is the economy

Those who play down the importance of the intifada as the main cause of the economic crisis are essentially saying that there's no need to hurry back to negotiations, and that the war of attrition can go on and on.

Here's what Prof. Stanley Fisher, a friend of Israel, said about that this week: "Renewing the peace process is of enormous importance. Only ending the state of war and renewing the dialogue with the Palestinians will turn the Israeli economy around - a proper economic policy by the government and Bank of Israel can help, somewhat improving the economy's performance, but not by much. That alone will not turn negative growth into positive growth. If not for the intifada and the war, the Israeli economy would be growing, not as fast as in the past, but definitely growing."
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Terror as a natural phenomenon
By Amira Hass

That Israeli majority is not ready to listen to hints that perhaps the military policies prevent, in the short term, some of the attacks and destroy the infrastructure, but in the long run create hundreds more volunteers for the unofficial Palestinian armies, and increase the danger of terrorism.

Most of the public prefers to only hear how devilish and ridiculous and corrupt things are on the Palestinian side. Most of the public does not want to know about the connection between the continuing attacks and the continuing and unprecedented military and economic pressure on the entire Palestinian population.

It refuses to see the connection between the renewal of the conflict in September 2000 to the Israeli consolidation of its control over the territories through non-military means, all through the Oslo years. Most of the Israeli public insists on accepting the position of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon that "first they stop the terror and then we'll start negotiations." Get ready, therefore, for the next record wave of terror.
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The revolution will come

More punishment