Are violence and peace talks compatible?
Since the start of the Israeli-PLO negotiations more than seven years ago, Israel has gone far in addressing Palestinian national aspirations in the West Bank and Gaza. On the basis of Arafat’s pledge of 1993 to abandon terrorism and commit to a negotiated solution, Israel negotiated the establishment of an elected Palestinian Authority, which has gradually expanded its jurisdiction and authorities, and now administers 97% of the Palestinian population in the West Bank and Gaza. But Israel did not stop there. The Israeli government made known to the Palestinians, at the Camp David Summit and now publicly, its willingness to move forward in the peace negotiations, and to make far-reaching political, historic and strategic compromises in order to achieve peace. However, despite these compromises, when it became clear to the Palestinian leadership that Israel could not fulfill every Palestinian demand, and that Israel also has aspirations and interests which need to be addressed through r
