Terror as a natural phenomenon

The ever-brave Amira Hass writes in Ha'aretz today,

Israel is a democracy. Nobody can hide important information from the Israeli public. Israeli civilians are not threatened with imprisonment or losing their jobs if they think differently. But the enormous support for the right wing, including Shinui, shows that most of the Jewish public is not interested in examining the question whether there is something illogical about Israeli military and civilian policies.

Nor is that majority influenced by the clear connection between their deteriorating economic situation and policies bereft of a political solution.

That Israeli majority is not ready to listen to hints that perhaps the military policies prevent, in the short term, some of the attacks and destroy the infrastructure, but in the long run create hundreds more volunteers for the unofficial Palestinian armies, and increase the danger of terrorism.

Most of the public prefers to only hear how devilish and ridiculous and corrupt things are on the Palestinian side. Most of the public does not want to know about the connection between the continuing attacks and the continuing and unprecedented military and economic pressure on the entire Palestinian population.

It refuses to see the connection between the renewal of the conflict in September 2000 to the Israeli consolidation of its control over the territories through non-military means, all through the Oslo years. Most of the Israeli public insists on accepting the position of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon that "first they stop the terror and then we'll start negotiations." Get ready, therefore, for the next record wave of terror.

Amazing that if any American reporter dared to say this, he/she would probably be run out of town.