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For Palestinians, Conflict with Jews Is Existential in Nature

(Ha'aretz) Brig.-Gen. (res.) Yossi Kuperwasser - The current terror wave is rooted in the Palestinians' demand that Jews be barred from Jerusalem's Temple Mount and that Muslims be allowed unrestricted access to the site. The large number of knife attacks is a product of the long-running educational war conducted by the Palestinian leadership, with the aim of inculcating in the minds of the younger generation that there is no Jewish nation, since Judaism is only a religion, and the Jews have no history of ruling the Land of Israel, which is Palestine. The mission of Palestinians is to accelerate Israel's inevitable disappearance. Palestinians are worried about being pushed aside as the world focuses on other developments in the region. Another factor contributing to the unrest is the rise of radical Islam in the region and among Palestinians in the territories and in Israel. Although most of the terrorists decide to attack spontaneously, the Palestinian leadership, especially Abbas and Hamas, have considerable influence. The clearer it becomes to Palestinians that Israel has the tenacity to thwart their goals, the more likely it is that their leaders will fear losing control and will be increasingly willing to help calm the situation. In the long run, it is likely that when Palestinians recognize that the paths of terror and of unilateral political moves are ineffective, they will begin to doubt their fundamental positions, and then it will be possible to consider an agreement. Until then, we must manage the conflict wisely. The writer was formerly Director General of the Israel Ministry of Strategic Affairs and head of the Research and Analysis and Production Division of IDF Military Intelligence.
2015-10-13 00:00:00
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