The logic underlying the decision-making of the powerful is driven by their own exercise of judgment -- this may seem an obvious or moot point ... what I am getting at is the "modern" logic by which our society operates. On the international front this logic is applied by Israel and its allies towards the Palestinians ... certain Palestinians are acting (and perhaps the majority is thinking, as evidenced by the rise of Hamas) against Israel, often in violent ways. Since as far back as I can remember Israel has engaged the Palestinians in a "game" of logic -- according to the little I know of game theory (a "triumph" of modern thought) they are actually operating optimally ("tit-for-tat"), yet ... their actions are despicable (writing from the perspective of an American citizen, I feel that we are wholly culpable in this tragedy).

The Palestinians are equal to the Israelis, if not worse in their exercise of judgment ... the ill will built up over the years has brought nothing but bad faith to the bargaining table.

Some ingredient is missing from this picture: good faith. I mean, faith in your brother, your fellow man, over both tribe and nation. It was a principal taught by many of the great prophets of this holy land. How cruelly ironic that today there is so little good faith to go around.

The powerful loath to let the advantage fall to the powerless.