Peace conference pending

Of course, the topic of all the newspapers both at home and abroad is the pending "Peace Conference" sponsored by the Americans in Annapolis. There is much hype and positioning by the main players but the average man in the street in Israel is highly skeptical. There is the usual talk of concessions, land swaps, release of prisoners (a proportion do go back into terrorism in spite of signing a committment not to do so), etc., etc.

There is no talk of what is expected of the Palestinians, it seems they can continue with their way of life, corruption, freedom for terror groups to act, incitement of the population at large in the weekly sermons in the mosques and of the children in particular through their text books and TV programmes.

Where is the Palestinian social programme to build a state for peace instead of revolution?

This week, a Katyusha was fired from Gaza, the first of its type. A missile with a 22km range which brings Ashkelon into its range - see picture.

And yet Israel is still being depicted as the Goliath instead of the David. The Palestinian refugees are discussed incessantly whilst there is absolutely no mention of a slightly greater number of Jewish kicked out of Algerai, Iraq, Yemen, Tunisia, Iran to name just 5 countries.

Tom Carew of Dublin writes in the Jerusalem Post today, "when the UK granted independance to India and Pakistan some 7.5 million Muslims were displaced, moving from India to Pakistan, while some 711,000 Arabs (UN estimate) left Israel. An equal number of Hindus and Sikhs moved in the opposite direction exactly as happened with Jewish refugees fleeing Arab lands and Iran to Israel "

The only talk today is of the "right of return" for the Arabs, nothing is mentioned of the same number of Jews who escaped from Arab countries with only their clothes on their backs. If there is be any justice, ALL aspects of the "right of return" should be on the table