Insanity is doing the same thing over and over ...

I agree with you 100%. That is why so many of us on both sides are so sick and tired of this conflict and the so called leaders that we have. If you ask the average person in the street, they want to live a normal life like the rest of the world; the problem is that there is a void when it comes to the leaders involved who are willing to take any bold initiatives. Talk is cheap. Both sides need to make comprises and look to the future and stop arguing over the past.

Unfortunately, even though the solution seems relatively simple, there is a fundamental inbalance between the sides involved. I agree that the past is the past and we need to move on (e.g. the forgiveness and rehablitation of Germany and Japan after WWII) but you have a 21st century country on one side (Israel) and a belief system and in some cases a society still living in the 11th century and still fighting the Crusades (Christians). On top of this, is the religious philosophical differences that are rooted in over 5000 years of history between Jews and Muslims.

Abraham is considered the father of Christianity and the father of both Judism and Islam. The story goes that Abraham was very old (86)and his wife Sarah was barren. In Jewish Law the Father leaves the family estate and responsibilities to the first born son. Also, in Jewish Law if the wife is unable to produce a child she can designate one of her handmaidens to act as a surrogate to have the child. In the case of Abraham and Sarah, she chose Hagar.

So, Hagar, an Egyptian, got pregnant with her son Ishmael whose father was Abraham. Before she gave birth she and Sarah weren't getting along so Hagar left. An angel appeared to her and told her to go back and submit to Sarah and also said that the son would be called Ishmael and "He will be a wild donkey of a man, his hand will be against everyone, and everyone's hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers" Genesis 16: 12.

Well, the plot thickens. Later when Abraham was a hundred years old God promised him a child from Sarah, that child was named Isaac. When the child was around a year or two old Sarah told Abraham to banish Hagar and her son because (he) "will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac" Ge. 21: 10.

Abraham banished them to the desert with a skin of water and some food. Just when they ran out of the water and food an angel appeared and showed them where a well was and assured Hagar that a great nation will be developed from his offsprings as Isaac and his offspring. God promised Egypt to Ishmael and Isaac was promised Canaan (present day Israel).

As you can see, the problems arose when the Muslims denied the Jews Israel and then later fought with the Christians about the occupation of the Holy Land. Muslims, as prophesied when the angel appeared to Hagar, just don't and won't play well with others, "he will live in hostlity to all his brothers".

There are also many radical groups like Hezbollah, Hamas, Al-Qaeda, Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, Fatah al-Islam, etc, etc. These groups, although their mission is the same, the destruction of Judism and Christianity, all have separate leaders and philosophies but they all believe that they are carrying out the jihad ordained by Allah to get rid of the infidels (non-believers, us, even clowns like Barbara Steisand and her fellow Hollywood dorks). 

Until the non-radical Nation of Islam rise up and condemn these people and join forces with the Jews and Christians to irradicate these fanatic radicals, this will go on generation after generation like it has been so far. Although, "normal" Muslims don't believe in violence I think they secretly want the radical arm of Islam to succeed. What they don't realize is that they will suffer too at the hands of their radical brothers. Sharia Law would be strickly enforced and they (all Islam) would be flung back into the 11th century!

I don't see any peace in the Middle East (or the world for that matter because it is also happening in Russia, South East Asia and Africa) until the radical arm of Islam is completely eliminated, which means we need to suspend political correctness (were the bombings of Dresden, Berlin, Hiroshima and Nagasaki based on political correctness?) and get on with the war on terror. Obama can call it what he wants but it is a WAR that we must win. Radical Muslims will NEVER and I mean NEVER negotiate for peace. There is nothing in it for them and who, exactly, is their leader that will agree to this in behalf of all of them? They only want ultimate control and the elimination of all who oppose them, including other Muslims. If they eliminated all of us they would just fight amongst themselves. 

Reasonable, educated people think this is all so unnecessary but you are not dealing with a reasonable, educated opponent. Can you reason with a pissed-off grizzly bear or a great white shark? As unsavory as it is we need to dig in our heels and say enough innocent people have died at the hands of these terrible people and put a stop to it once and for all or world peace will be impossible. Some say just leave them alone, the problem is they don't leave us alone. These terrorist acts have been going on for centuries. The word "thug" came from a group of Islamic assassins from Iraq and Iran called the Thugs. If you watch the movie Gunga Din, written by Rudyard Kipling, the enemy forces in the movie were Thugs, pronounced Tugs.

We need to have a collective effort of all free nations to put an end to them. That, I'm afraid, is the one and only solution.