Reply #9: Yup, just like whenever Israel does anything positive

[Shaktimaan]

towards alleviating the impact their security measures have on average Palestinians. Or anything they do which fulfills a requirement under the road map, or Oslo or is a step towards dismantling the occupation. None of it matters, it's all just part of a propaganda campaign designed to fool us into thinking that they're actually doing these things that they are, in fact, doing.

Thank God no one expects similarly superficial efforts from the Palestinians, such as... I don't know, doing something conciliatory themselves. Anything positive or beneficial, sometime... no matter how small of a gesture, in response to Israel's own efforts.

:sarcasm:

A criticism often leveled at Israeli efforts such as forming the PA, allowing elections, evacuating from Gaza and areas in the WB, etc., is that they haven't had their intended effect of bringing peace to the region. Therefore, it is assumed, the actions themselves must be flawed in some critical way. Rarely is there as much room for criticizing the other side's lack of similar gestures.

Israel is in a classic "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation. As we've seen above, criticism against them isn't necessarily linked to their actions. If they do something negative then it is easy to see why they would be condemned, like in the recent post reporting on their demolition of more homes, apparently without giving any warning. But to give similar condemnation in response to an act that's entirely positive, well, that requires imagination.