Originally Posted by MontyB

I don't think it takes a genius to see that this "demilitarised" stipulation is designed to kill the proposal, now Israel can sit back and claim that they "tried" but the ungrateful Palestinians once again wanted it all and life will carry on as usual.

Couldn't agree more! I never was a fan of Netanyahu and this proposal made it clear to me why. Perhaps it's just politics to offer a still born and call it a start of a new beginning....

Demiliterized makes a lot of sense, at least in the beginning.
But I guess it makes for lousy parades.

Originally Posted by Ted

Couldn't agree more! I never was a fan of Netanyahu and this proposal made it clear to me why. Perhaps it's just politics to offer a still born and call it a start of a new beginning....

I think the Palestinians can put the ball back in Israels court here by offering demilitarisation as a reciprocal deal after all a common response from the Israelis on this forum seems to be "why would they need a military if they are at peace" seems to me that argument should work both ways.

I am guessing they are already writing the obituary for this deal.

Originally Posted by the_13th_redneck

Demiliterized makes a lot of sense, at least in the beginning.
But I guess it makes for lousy parades.

If North Korea offered a peace deal but that South Korea had to completely demilitarize would the South Koreans agree? If they were ever so foolish to agree, then they would deserve to be occupied.

No it wouldn't work because South Korea doesn't have a history of attacking North Korea. If we had done so repeatedly and North Korea had been suing for alternatives for decades, offering to recognize South Korea officially, then yes it might even make sense.

Just as Japan was demilitarized for a while.
You earn your back your right to have a proper army through proper behavior.
Either way, the Palestinians have mostly used low tech approaches to attacking Israel, I don't think it would affect them that much. AK-47s, grenades, some explosives. Same as yesterday and the years before.

Israel can't afford to demilitarize because of the other non-Palestinian threats it faces. Palestinians don't have that problem as long as Israel does not attack.

Here is the break down, if they are a self governing soveriegn state then they have every right to a military should they choose to form one, either they are a nation and as such can chart their own course in the world or they are a puppet government in which case this is not 2 State solution it is just a bunch of politicians playing with semantics.

A self defense force until they get their "Destroy Israel at All Costs" stuff sorted out isn't a bad idea and it's not without precedent.

Not going to happen.

Originally Posted by MontyB

Not going to happen.

that is one of the reasons they won't have any country in the near/distant future....

Thats ok I don't think anyone believes this was a serious offer anyway, I am sure that had the Palestinians agreed there would have been more stipulations to ensure they couldnt agree.

Or in other words I do not believe that Israel is negotiating in good faith any more than the Palestinians are.