Re: NYTimes.com Article: 'Life and Debt': One Love,

In the current issue (July 9, 2001) of the New Yorker magazine there is an
interesting, and somewhat disturbing, article entitled "The Martyr Strategy"
by Jeffrey Goldberg.  The author's ethnocentric discussion of the
Palestinian "terrorists" is quite disturbing as it seems to ignore the
reality of the situation--the power dynamics involved.  The messages, ideas
and the power infused in the word "terroism" is quite interesting in
itself--very disturbing.  At one point in the article Goldman quotes Boaz
Ganor, "the terrorism expert" (who he really is I do not know), as he
discusses the three possible scenarios which could lead to the end of the
Palestinian/Israeli conflict (the last line is particularly important):

" 'There are three scenarios...One Arafat stops the violence.  Two, there's
an ongoing war of attrition and Arafat waits for an Israeli mikstake--an
Israeli shell is bound to hit some school children.  This leads to an
international outcry that requires Israel to make more concessions.  Three
Arafat decides to escalate, starting a war.  If he has the ability to school
down an El Al plane, or to launch Katyushas fronm the West Bank  into the
Tel Aviv suburbs, he would force a powerful Israeli response.  The
disturbing part is that it is all in Arafats's hands.' "

What a bastardization of reality.

If anyone on the list has read this particular article (or perhaps plans on
checking it out later), I'd be interested in hearding what any of you folks
think.

J. DeVore