Peace thru humane occupation, forbidding terrorism or any aggressive violence.

Regarding the optimistic Israelis, I don’t think they were fools in Franklin’s sense — but that didn’t lessen the price of the experience.

Freed Israeli hostage in Hamas captivity in Gaza: ‘Everyone over there is a terrorist’

Safe to say it’s the vast majority.

One of the more ironic things about THAT episode is that the weaponry (mostly guns provided by Israeli) and military/LE training (provided by the US)—received by the PA forces as part of the Oslo “deal” of 1995—were put to EXCELLENT use murdering and maiming Israelis.

One would have thought that more than some would have remembered this.

But no, many did not or if they did, preferred to put it aside (cf “Love is the victory of Hope over Experience”, not that this was “Love” exactly but a feeling of “We CAN DO THIS” and “THEY’RE JUST LIKE US”…wanting the same for their children, wanting to improve their lives, etc., etc., …and to some extent this IS true, except that “improving their lives” is subject to interpretation…even as the Palestinian leadership wishes—intends for Israel to disappear—and while nuanced, issuing encouraging noises from time to time, showing, um, PRAGMATISM (especially when it comes to their private bank accounts), it is an autocratic entity that brooks no opposition.)

The same thing could be said eight years later, in 2008, when Ehud Olmert offered Abbas an offer he couldn’t refuse, not realizing that there was NO offer Abbas—or ANY PALESTINIAN LEADER—could/would actually agree to unless Israel agreed to erase itself from the map. (Wishful thinking, once again rearing its ugly head…)

And still people did not understand. Did not remember—sufficiently—this further proof of Palestinian rejectionism (to be sure, it’s ALWAYS ISRAEL’s that is always labeled as “INTRANSIGENT”).

Qualification: What I said above is not entirely true: there were many Israelis who were aware of Palestinian goals—were sending emphatic warnings about the trap that Oslo entailed—but these voices were sidelined, rejected, branded as archaic, foolish, criminal even, as missing the rare opportunity, as not understanding the current Palestinian to FINALLY accept and make its peace with the Zionist Entity. (Actually, not remembered general—ALSO—is that the level of Palestinian attacks on Israeli skyrocketed in the time immediately following Oslo was agreed to in theory and then signed; these were attributed by Israelis in government as something along the lines of “growing pains”…yes, true peace will take time, but we are on the road to a NEW MIDDLE EAST!)

And so…how to explain the sheer amnesia following 2000? And 2008?
And can one be CERTAIN that the latest round of butchery will not, equally, be forgotten?
(Though, maybe, the time line will be longer…. MAYBE.)

Besides, if Iran ad its proxies and its friends (and—ESPECIALLY—its ally in the Oval Office) smells sufficient blood…then all this may be a moot point in any event.