haifa.18

Haifa Fornightly(Editor--Huzefa Mehta) 18th edition 15/7/93 Peace at last? -------------- The recent developments are too sudden. What seemed to like the never ending battle is finally seeing signs of hope. The atmosphere here is very positive. Its amazing that after "fighting" for peace after so long both sides are really ready to accept each other in desperation. Also since the PLO meetings are held at nights and the Kenneset meetings during the day, progess went very fast after the initial proposals. The Right wingers within Israel are mostly from the Likud group from the new settlements occupied territories(constitute about 3% of the West bank ..there aren't any settlements in the Gaza area.). The right wingers on the Palestine side are the infamous Hamas group and several PLO factions with the bases in Syria. The atmosphere within Israel seems to be divided among two groups..the left wingers who want Peace and the right wing Likud members who feel there should be no compromise. Izhak Rabin has done an excellent job to get the parliamentary majority on this issue. The view within the Palestinian sides seem to be divided also. The PLO faction led by Yasser Arafat agrees upon the interim plan and the remaining factions of the PLO feel they have been given too less and that an interim government is not the solution(comparisions to the South African situation). The right wingers within Palestinian namely the Hamas--have a more militant attitude and still refuse to recognize Israel's right to exist. Most young Israelis seem to be happy about this..the older ones are more sceptical.