Just laugh...

the next time someone says Israel wants a peaceful solution. It didn't take them 5 minutes before the threat of peace was on the table and they had to squash it in its tracks.

Seizures Show New Israel Line Against Hamas
Israeli troops seized 64 members of Hamas in the west bank, including 1/3 of the Palestinian cabinet and 23 legislators. Israel’s stated goal ever since the Parliamentary elections 5 months ago was to weaken the new Palestinian government led by Hamas through exonommic pressure in “an effort to get it to recognize Israel and forswear violence.”

Now a faction of Hamas just came out the other day stating that they wanted to recognize Israel and forswear violence; rationally now what would you do if you wanted to nurture that faction? Attack?

"They're raising the ante," he said. "It's not about releasing the soldier, it's more sinister than that. It seems to me they're going for the long haul." But the result, he said, would actually "reinforce the radicals."

Ali Jarbawi, a professor and dean at Birzeit University here, said he thought the real goal was to remove the Hamas government from power.

Israel wants to continue with its unilateral policies based on the idea that there is no "Palestinian partner," said Mr. Jarbawi, who turned down an offer from Hamas to join the government as an independent. "If you build up your strategy on having no partner, then you have to ensure you don't have one. So when Palestinians tell you that there is about to be a political agreement among the factions, putting their house in order at last, you intervene."

A valid question is posed...

"Why do we need a Palestinian Authority at all? Just to disguise the occupation? If I were Abu Mazen, I'd say I'm a president without authority and dismantle it, and tell Israel: 'You're responsible. You pay.' And then you should worry about a binational state."

Israel can't have it both ways--actually they can and they will until the U.S. steps in and stops funding the war machine; which as voters is our responsibility. Either Israel wants a peaceful solution or a violent solution. There is either going to be a two state compromise or a binational state, if solution is even your goal; which is quite questionable when you look at Israels actions in the context of war and peace.

I don't know, no answers from me. As my freind Ryan says "wait 200 years and we can give all the Palestinians casinos."