CONVERSATION AND OUTCOME: AS LONG AS THE "ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT" IS MINIMIZED AND DISTORTED AS THE "ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN" CONFLICT, ISRAEL LOSES.

There is a famous rhythm and blues song that speaks to the adolescent tendency to confuse wishful thinking with reality. If you are an American of my generation, then you will likely have no difficulty putting the tune to the words of the unrequited lover, singing, "It was just my imagination... running away with me; yes, it was just my imagination... running away with me...." [by The Temptations, and yes, to listen to this sweet song, just go to You Tube!]

We all have to "grow up", like it or not, and failure to do so leads to the pathological psychological impairment of protracted adolescence. This particular pathology is characterized by the syndrome of "blind love", an imaginary reality in which in the best of circumstances the love object is relatively benign by being either indifferent or even sympathetic, but, a malicious love object can take horrible and even destructive advantage. As long as the blind lover continues manufacturing mental "scripts" and projecting these scripts onto reality in order to cause reality to appear to conform to his (or her) imagination, then the blind lover maintains the pleasing, but, destructive delusions and deceptions which intoxicate their soul.

The difference between adulthood and adolescence is the ability to perceive correctly in the moment, when it is that one's imagination is in fact surplanting reality, and to then act according to reality and not delusion.

Israel must overcome it's adolescent predilection to perceive the world as a geography of nations all of which love Israel.

Most especially Israel must overcome it's unrequited love for the Arabs and to cease to think of the Arabs as benign partners.

For too long Israel has been singing another Temptations song, "Ain't Too Proud To Beg!"

Perhaps if Israel -- secular Jews as well as religious Jews -- were to unfailingly mark Shabbath by the Erev Shabbath lighting of Shabbath Neroth and then by lighting and dousing the lights of Havdallah on the conclusion of Shabbath (perhaps even keeping Shabbath altogether), then the clarity of "l'havdil" [separating] holy from unholy would make sense.

As long as the middle east conversation continues according to the mis-definition of "Israel v. Palestine" and not "Israel v. Arab", then a proper separation cannot be made leading to peace.