Where The Line Is Drawn VI

"...we Palestinians were subjected to harsh treatment by the Israeli forces - ]long curfews, house demolitions, censorship, and restrictions on academic freedom and travel. Most aspects of our life were curtailed in some form or another and subject to permits from the military authorities. The occupation determined my present and my future. I waited in long lines for permits and endured constant harrassment by the military on the way to and from my office. Even a task as simple as installing a telephone was an ordeal requiring a military permit that was difficult to obtain." (p. 25)

"...while encouraging these settlements to prosper, the Israeli military authorities pursued a policy of stifling Palestinian development by refusing to grant permits vital for building the necessary infrastructure for investment and economic progress." (p. 62)

"Prime Minister Menachem Begin, who was religious, must have reasoned that it was more important to follow the will of God than a promise to a secular president - not to mention that it was politically more expedient for his party, Likud, to pursue the colonization of Palestinian territory and make available free land for his electorate." (p. 63)

God, expedience and electoralism are a winning alliance.

When a population is stifled as a matter of policy, then some of its members will resort to armed resistance. To ignore the repression, then condemn the "terrorism," is a moral cop out.