We all know there’s no chance of peace in the Holy Land in the forseeable future and probably not in the distant future. I have always felt the Israelis have been far too accomodating to the Palestinians who are unchanged enemies of both Israel and Jewry with some exceptions (not including Abbas). It is preposterous to make any concessions to them as a bribe to get them to talk when we all know the talks won’t bring about any settlement. Prof. Bernard Lewis put it perfectly: if the issue is state borders then with perseverance and innovation an agreement can be reached; if the issue is whether a state will continue to exist as sovereign and independent, no agreement can ever be reached. Nothing has changed since 1948. The Arabs WILL NOT permanently recognize Israel as a Jewish state and WILL NOT give up their Israel-destroying demands of a “right” of return, etc. These are the grim facts; Abbas is nothing but a better dressed, clean-shaven version of his late unlamented boss, Arafat.