[andyfox]

"in order for there to be peace, the Palestinians have to give up on the impossible dream of eliminating Israel by force and establishing a greater Palestine in its place"

The Palestinian Authority has recognized Israel's right to exist. It now needs leadership courageous enough to act accordingly. Israel also needs leadership courageous enough to renounce the dream of a greater Israel (the "historic" Eretz Yisrael), and leadership courageous enough to act accordingly.

Pipes' error is to place all of the blame on the Palestinian side. He specifically says that the trouble has nothing to do with what Israel has done. Even a cursory knowledge of the history of Zionism and the state of Israel belies this. Those who likewise believe that the Palestinians are blameless are equally misguided.

Incidentally, I believe, but cannot prove, that the belief among some Palestinians that they can eliminate Israel by force derives from their experience, or rather, the experience of their parents and grandparents, who saw the Zionists defeat the British by force in their (the Palestinians') homeland.