The map drawn up at the Oslo agreement, I was told by an American, differed little from that given as a goal by Likud in 1967. This map show a fragmented Palestine completely surrounded by Israeli administered territory without even free access to Jordan.
My host said "I was born here. I have a right to live here!" He noted that there is a "law of return" for Jews whose ancestors have not lived in Palestine for thousands of years. There is no law of return for Palestinians who were born here. Even those living here may have no right to visit the villages where they were born (and hundreds of them have been destroyed), and are gradually being forced out of homes that they own.
The Palestinian Authority is corrupt and is not vigorously representing Palestinian interests As a result, thoughtful Palestinians have nowhere to turn, since Hamas represents the only opposition of any strength. (The Birzeit student council elections are considered a political indicator, being until recently the only elections being held. They show the Islamic bloc (essentially Hamas, I am told) increasing its plurality to four seats this year from one last year.
No one expects much from the elections. Netanyahu is likely to win, being popular with the electorate if not with the Knesset. In any case, the Labor party is only marginally better than Likud. People told me that that labor's real position was indicated by their failure to withdraw the settlers from Hebron after the massacre of Moslems a few years ago.
I find all of this particularly sad in view of the great contribution that the Jewish people have made to Western culture, their contributions to the arts, to the sciences, and to humanitarian efforts.
