More Facts about the Israeli - Palestinian Situation

1. Israel is the only democracy in the region. It holds regular elections, has a free press and independent courts.

2. Arafat controls the terrorists - he told them to stop for 3 weeks in December and they did. He can do that again, any time he wants.

3. Bombing pizza parlours, restaurants and hotels is the same as bombing the World Trade Centre. Terror is terror, no matter what the cause.

4. Israel has put up with its civilians being murdered by terrorists for more than 50 years.

5. Remember the Munich Olympic Games massacre, aircraft hijackings and airport massacres of the 70's? These same tactics won't work now, just as they didn't then. Good on Israel for refusing to give in to terrorism.

6. Israel offered the Palestinians a great deal at Clinton's Camp David - in return for peace. The best deal ever. They rejected it and started the killings.

7. Palestinians deserve an independent State - but they must stop the violence before they can gain trust and respect from Israel and the rest of the world.

8. Imagine if the bombings in Haifa, Jerusalem and all around Israel, were in Queen Street, Courtenay Place and all around New Zealand? We'd demand our Government act to protect New Zealanders. That's just what Israel is doing.

9. Israel told the Palestinians many, many times "If you don't stop the terrorists, then we will". They were warned, and now Israel's acting.

10. Palestinians were only supposed to possess rifles and pistols under the Oslo Accords. The weapons taken from them include rockets, mortars, grenades and explosives.

11. Respected peace partners are expected to show good faith. Arafat must condemn terror in Arabic now, and repeat it often.

12. Palestinian schoolbooks, paid for by the EU contain messages of hatred towards Israel. To secure peace we have to first take away the propaganda.

13. The Saudi Arabian peace proposal guarantees nothing for Israel, as long as Fatah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad work to destroy the State of Israel, and as long as they are actively supported by the Palestinian Authority. Extremists must be controlled.

14. Palestinian desperation is no excuse for terror. They were offered almost everything they wanted by Israel - and they refused. If Arafat had any feelings for Palestinians he'd stop the terror, get back into negotiations, and restore dignity to his people.