Where is Israel Going

I'm going to be the first to recognize that given the step ups of terrorist attacks on Israel, something had to change. But the problem is what?

For years now, Yasser Arafat has been effectively powerless. The real political power in the occupied territories has been the terrorist groups. While Arafat commanded terror, he was probably also locked his refusal to effectively negotiate with Israel due to the terrorist groups themselves. If he agreed to peace, he would die.

For the question of where Israel should go now, we only need to ask the question: why don't Israeli Palestinians suicide bomb? Answer: they're living in the freest democracy in the middle east.

There is no hope for a Palestinian state. The Palestinian Authority proved to be a highly autocratic one, and now we must face the reality that Hammas and others are the real political powers in the territories.

Keeping the status quo (occupation) will only lead to continued terrorist attacts. The terrorists will continue to be effective, despite Israel's best attempts to stop it. The occupation (and particularly its economic effects and lack of freedom) is what creates new terrorists. They will keep coming.

So Isreal must either 1) expell/kill all Palestinians from the territories or 2) accept the fact that at least some portion of the occupied territories need to be annexed, and the Palestinians living there must become full Israeli citizens.

The second choice does threaten Israel's historical Jewish nature. But there is no choice, it is either to risk that for a stable, multi-ethnic democracy, or have neither.

I hope that Jews in Israel will recognize that expelling/killing all Palestinians in the territories is simply not acceptable (infact, one could argue that expelling Palestinians would only set up more refugee camps as breeding grounds for future terrorists...plus, where would they go?)

Moreover, the US would have a great deal to gain by having more Muslims under the umbrella of Israeli democracy and freedom. Only in that kind of country can there be the possibility of planting the seeds for moderation of Islam in the middle east.

I'm not saying that it would be easy. It would be hard. Keep in mind that the Israeli military had to fight Jewish settlers in the Sanai when it was given back to Egypt. Extending full Israeli citizenship to more non-Jews would be a tough sell to the radical Israeli right.

But it is possible, and it could end the violence. I don't see such hope for any other policy.

So please, do kill Arafat. He serves no purpose now but terror, and knows little but fighting. Certainly the US wouldn't "hole up" Mullah Mohammed Omar or Ossam Bin Laden if we found him. But make use of the political vaccuum afterwards not to find a "moderate" Palestinian leader, but to annex the territories, and let the Palestinians take part in making Israel the great country that it is.