Quote by Karen Armstrong
Zionism was originally a rebellion against religious Judaism and the PLO Charter was essentially secularist. But because the conflict was allowed to fester without a resolution, religion got sucked into the escalating cycle of violence and became part of the problem.
Summary
This quote suggests that Zionism, originally a movement opposing religious Judaism, and the secular nature of the PLO Charter were the root causes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. However, due to the prolonged absence of a resolution, religion gradually became intertwined with the violent cycle of the conflict and worsened the situation. In essence, it implies that the original conflict was primarily political, but the involvement of religion exacerbated tensions over time.