Strategypage addresses the recent kerfluffle over the West Bank and Gaza:
The problem with negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians is that the Palestinians give two different sets of goals. To the West, and non-Moslems they say that co-existence with Israel is acceptable and all that has to be done is work out is the details. But to Moslems and especially Palestinians both Hamas and Fatah preach total destruction of Israel as the only acceptable goal and anything short of that is just a bargaining tactic. The Palestinians and Arabs in general, have been consistent in this respect. From the moment the UN approved the creation of Israel in 1947, the Arab world has rejected that and vowed to erase Israel no matter what it takes. Many in the West choose to ignore this and pretend that it’s all about Israeli refusal to negotiate.
If the Palestinians don't accept that international recognition means they must accept Israel, why do the Palestinians believe that international recognition means Israel must accept them?
