don't be silly. there have been ceasefires, withdrawals since whenever, it doesn't make any difference. Not whilst a militarist society is determined to steal all the land from its victims. How about the Israelis conceding the Palestinians right to exist ? To have homes and farms and water and borders and not be subject to occupation forces who take land whenver it suits them and considers the untermenschen expendable if they look upset at such theft.

The month that Israel withdrew from Gaza it sequestered more land in the West Bank than it gave up in Gaza. There is no good faith on either side, but one side is armed to the teeth and unafraid to demonstrate its eliminationist intent and one side has firecrackers to announce its dismay.

Why should Hamas give up its only bargaining position to achieve nothing except yet one more promise from Israel that they won't be nasty for a couple of days ? I have no idea how this works, any more than you do, but I'd imagine that when Israel seriously considers dismantling the occupation of the West Bank, maybe Hamas may seriously consider accepting Israel. But till then, fuggedabout it.

keep to the Fen Causeway

Hamas tells Egypt it is ready to discuss truce with Israel, Shalit deal | Ha'aretz | Feb 15, 2008:One example of many. Israel's argument against a ceasefire is always the same - Hamas would use it as an excuse to rearm, and Israel is close to defeating them anyway. As for the first argument, they seem to have no problem rearming anyway, and Israel could use the ceasefire to build up defenses. As for the second argument, I don't think any comment is needed.

Please tell me how you would like Israel to negotiate with Hamas when Hamas is launching rockets into the country and has vowed to never recognize Israel. Where is the solution? - An American in London

I can see no complete solution, and as some of the greatest minds in the world have considered this problem and not found a solution I am not surprised at my own failure.

That said the stronger party is Israel and it is Israel that is therefore perceived as the bully. This makes Israel doubly wrong:

• As the stronger party they should show magnanimity and statesmanship by offering to take the first step - however often they have to do it.

• Secondly by oppressing a people who are clearly not going to accept oppression they are making the solution more and more difficult to find.

No war can be won unless you, ultimately, overcome the will of the people to resist. Gerald Templar put it well in the confrontation in Malaya in the 1950s when he said that the only way to bring the communist/terrorists out of the jungle was to win the hearts and minds of the people. In Malaysia today there is still an very weak undercurrent of ethnic Chinese based communist feeling. However it is too weak to do anything significant and those most violently opposed to any reversion to revolt are those ethnic Chinese who are now educated people with a secure job and a future for themselves and their children.

As I say I am not sure what the solution is but I do not believe we will bomb Hamas into submission.