[New York Times] Steven Erlanger - The children of the second intifada that began in 2000 grew up in a territory riven by infighting, seared by violence, largely cut off from the world. "Ever since we were little, we see guns and tanks, and little kids wanting little guns to fight against Israel," said Raed Debie, 24, a student at An Najah University in Nablus. Issa Khalil, 25, said he was arrested for throwing stones in the first intifada that began in the late 1980s and again in the second uprising. "And for what?" he asked. "I wasted 14 years of my life. We all did." Many Israelis agree that the current generation of young Palestinians has been thoroughly radicalized, but say that is the product of Palestinian political and religious leaders who have sanctioned and promoted violence and terrorism against Israel. Where young Palestinians once dreamed of staying to build a new state, now many are giving up and scheming to get out.
2007-03-12 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive