There is some validity to your view. But I believe it's wrong in general, but I don't think we're going to convince each other. :-)
Which "view"?
* What I observe to be the Israeli mindset.
* My likely actions in a similar situation
* My view on the PLO's motivation and history.
* Specific details of how I understand the IDF to work.
* Questions as to how it could be fixed.
Which of those is wrong?
Its rather rude to lump all that together with "you're wrong, but I'm not going to even tell you what you're wrong about or why".
If you think so, say about what.
And you might note - Egypt came to their understanding with Israel after being soundly trounced.
Not in 1973 they weren't.
No, you're right, they weren't AS soundly trounced then - BUT neither did they recover what they'd lost in the '67 war, correct?
When they were trounced.
And *that* is what brought them to the bargaining table - the failure to win with force of arms.
Right now the PLO is still willing to only use force.
Nothing you said shows how to *change* that, much less "Simply" negotiate.
So no, I don't think I'm wrong - the PLO wants to fight. The initial story was about the Israeli's finally going ahead and fighting - and trying to knock the fight out of them.
I see that as a perfectly reasonable prediction.... and futher, given the failures at the bargaining table, I'm not certain its an unreasonable idea.
Again, how would you get the PLO to the bargaining table, and make them use good faith?
Addison