As a violent week between Israelis and Palestinians continues to unfold, Nabil Sarhan, president of the Arab Union Society at Penn State, is not surprised by recent events.

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat cannot respond militarily to Israel's action.

Their actions are to take over the Palestinian town of Tulkarem, Sarhan said.

He does not have an army to fight against Israel's aggression, he added.

"Arafat is in a big dilemma," Sarhan said about the Palestinian leader.

"Israel should understand that its security can't be attained by violating the basic human rights of the Palestinians and by leading them to total frustration."

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has called acts by the Palestinian Authority "terrorism" to gain the support of the United States for Israel's actions against Palestine, said Colin Flint, professor of geography.

The Israelis view attacks on their soldiers as terrorism, said Scott Bennett, professor of political science.

The Palestinian militants who carry out the attacks view Israelis as legitimate targets in a military campaign, he added.

Bennett said it is hard to make a distinction as to whether the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians involves terrorism.

"Terrorism is often in the eye of the beholder," Bennett said.

"The label of 'terrorist' vs. 'freedom fighter' is very political, and there aren't objective rules to define the label."

It is hard for the average American to understand what's really going on, Sarhan said.

"The American media leaves the impression that Israel's violence is always in retaliation to Palestinian violence," Sarhan added.

"There is almost no mention of Israel's military occupation or its numerous violations of international laws and human rights."

If a peace agreement is ever to be reached, the United States will need to take a more proactive role in the process, said Syedur Rahman, a scholar with expertise in political science.

Rahman also coordinates the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program at Penn State University.

This brings international scholars to the United States to study and discuss issues including current events in the Middle East.

"If this is not stopped, it is going to go to the next stage of a full blown Middle East conflict," Rahman said.

"The United States must be ruthlessly fair to each side without doing so at the cost of the other side."

Rahman said he believes the United States must use its authority in collaboration with the United Nations to grant Palestinians their own state.

"A normal solution is no longer possible. The United States is the only authority in the world that can impose its will and it must do so," Rahman said.

"The United States is not the world policeman, but in extraordinary times, it must use surgical precision to carve out countries."

Sarhan agreed with Rahman.

Peace will not happen until Israel allows the Palestinians to have an independent state, Sarhan said.

"Israel must also allow the Palestinian refugees, who were driven out from their own country to return," Sarhan added.

"The only way to achieve peace is through justice, justice to both the Palestinians and the Israelis."

Ofer Harel (graduate-statistics), a native of Israel, said he believes that the majority of people on both sides yearn for peace.

A peaceful agreement has yet to be reached because the two sides can not agree on negotiating terms, he said.

"I don't see a problem with the establishment of a Palestinian state once a peace agreement is reached," Harel said.