Agreed, it is not complex and the weak condemnation of U.S. leadership for the current behavior of the Israel Leadership is wrong.

To frame things a little differently. At the time of the creation of the Nation of Israel, conquest by force of arms and declarations of powerful nations was normal. Not right but it was the norm. Israel's neighbors tried to reconquer that land and reclaim it for Arabs failing many times leading even greater loss of Palestinian and Arab lands to Israeli occupation. Israel had powerful allies. Israel being a religious state was not going to enfranchise very many non-Jewish people on those lands and forced many into enclaves with little political power or financial or productive assets. Because of those abuses a terroristic insurgency developed in the occupied lands. Many efforts to broker a deal failed because they always favored Israel. I think Camp David was the high water mark and the best deal the Palestinians could have obtained. That deal is long off the table. Even without the support of their powerful allies Israel can maintain the status quo and even expand their control in those occupied territories. At this point I don't believe the leadership in Israel cares to work for peace only wants to buy more time to take more Palestinian land. The Palestinians will never get what they deserve. Certainly they will not get the right to return.

I kind of understand (of course I can't fully understand) how that bitter pill is to hard to swallow and generations of constant struggle, loss, and death might be preferable. Especially in a culture of martyrs.

TEK