Keep your eyes on the Middle East

I read a report today that Yassir Arafat is very ill. Some are saying he's near death and others saying he's fine. Should he die, there will be a definate power struggle among the Palestinians. How that will affect the "peace" process, it remains to be seen. I've been watching the conflict between Isreal and Palestine and have my own opinions on the matter. A good book to read about it is "The Gun and the Olive Branch". It's a fairly balanced account of the struggle between Jews and Palestinians over the Holy Land. I should say, it's balanced if you're not one of those individuals that think anything that doesn't present Isreal only in a positive light is a lie. It debunks many myths about the struggle and shows that Isreal is by no means innocent. A good example is an account of how Sharon (the current PM of Isreal) planned and executed a bombing of a hotel during the British Mandate after WWII that kill a great number of British soldiers. The group claims that they gave the Brits fair warning (5 whole minutes). It was basically an act of terror designed to force the British to leave since they were trying to broker some kind of fair arrangement for both sides. It also includes accounts of killings of British soldiers and dignitaries in retaliation for the execution of Jews convicted of crimes related to terrorism. Anyway, it shows atrocities, stubbornness, and agendas for both sides of the issue. Again, I found the book very informative.