Jim Hoagland - Cairo's Camp David Bargain Endures - washingtonpost.com

Jim Hoagland - Cairo's Camp David Bargain Endures - washingtonpost.com: "Such inspiration is badly needed for Palestinians and Israelis right now. They have not been able to find a sustainable equilibrium in peacemaking efforts that have been punctuated by prolonged guerrilla warfare, two intifadas, waves of suicide bombings and rocket attacks launched against Israel, and recently by Israel's bloody three-week assault on the Gaza Strip and the leadership of Hamas."

In his description, we see that until "recently" Israel has not contributed anything to the lack of progress in reaching peace. The continual building of settlements in the West Banks has not happened. The control of Gaza's borders; land sea and air since before Hamas took power is constructive. The building of walls and fences beyond Israel's pre '67 borders is of no consequence. The refusal to talk to the elected Hamas government is immaterial. The daily disruption of life by Palestinians by checkpoints, occupation soldiers is all well and good. The breaking of the ceasefire with Hamas on November 4 2008 is an illusion.

How can we take serious opinions that are so completely one sided? The failure of reaching a peace agreement between Israel and Palestine is a failure of both sides and in fact of the US which is anything but a fair broker. As has been repeated endlessly the seeds of a solution is obvious. A return by Israel to the pre '67 borders and removal of all colonists established in the land conquered in that war. This of course to be accompanied by a cessation of violence by both sets of combatants.