Transcript for Aug. 10, 1988: Palestinian uprising, known as the intifada, continues

The Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Shamir told his country's parliament today that Israel would resort to an iron fist if necessary. To stop any attempt to form an independent Palestinian state. In the Israeli occupied territories. Mr. Shamir so that international demands for Palestinian self determination were phony meaningless. And hypocritical. Whatever mr. Shamir says the history of the Middle East tells us the Palestinians will go on trying to realize their dream of their own state. The question is how to go about it in recent years most Palestinians have accepted the idea that at least in the short run. The Palestine Liberation Organization should be their representative. But the PLO does not represent all Palestinians. And the PLO which is a coalition of different and often competing groups has always made compromises with great difficulty. We asked ABC's Barry guns more to see with the Palestinians were thinking these days. Since the Palestinians of the west bank and Gaza began their uprising against Israeli military occupation last December. They have been tear gassed. Beaten. Jailed without trial. And expelled. They have had their houses blown up and they have been killed. However they are no closer today to achieving their objective a state of their own. The Palestinian uprising or Intifada as it's called an Arabic because developed a certain life of its own. But the question for many Palestinians as how long can people go on throwing rocks. With little or nothing to show for it but an ever increasing death shall. In the view of many people in the occupied territories what is needed now is a peace plan proposed by the Palestinians. Why didn't the father is going on we should make it percent of do you put everybody poll a position. Well not that are destroying because of it. We ought not upfront. If anything the Israelis confirm what the is to end its occupation. And to achieve a lot of national pride. For the last seven months of us can go leadership outside to have they kind of political action to go pet Ireland to the stones and then demonstrations. A pillow leadership has never been able to produce a Palestinian peace initiative. But recently a document emerged which could form the basis of one. Its author is Bassam Abu Sharif. Is the PLO spokesman and an advisor to Yasser Arafat. He bears the scars on his Bible would Israel. Having been the target of a letter bombs sixteen years ago. This document may be the most realistic the Palestinians have ever produced. In short it calls for direct negotiations between the PLO and Israel with the objective of creating a Palestinian state which would live in peace would Israel. It also says the Palestinians would insist on guarantees for the security of all states in the region including Palestine and Israel. And it even proposes deployment of a UN buffer force on the Palestinian side. Of the Israeli Palestine border in an interview when Baghdad I asked Abu Sharif on what authority he has produced this paper. It's and the context of my a delegate the authority. To defend and to clarify. You know stance. But the PLO leadership as always is split Arafat won't publicly endorse a document he almost certainly approved in advance. As usual what Arafat does best is survived and he is leaving his spokesman who take. The heat alone. In an exclusive interview when Damascus with ABC news the hardline Palestinian leader Abu Moussa denounced the document as agreed to sell old of the Palestinians. Since the British promised to Jews a homeland in Palestine living. Though when it. Best friend the end constituted the sound of shooting statement more dangerous on the course of our Palestinian coolest friends about four declaration. Which created is that. An album Wilson's group and others will settle for nothing less than an end to Israel. Some of these hardliners are now saying that Abu Sharif are to be eliminated for making such a moderate proposal. Whether that threatened to kill me. Tell them what more cool to the 26 I have in my but he wouldn't appeal if imports. And so as Arafat. Makes his endless tour of Arab capitals he seems incapable of producing a political consensus. Even though some Palestinians in the occupied territories seem to have figured it out. We have to express. Our willingness to accept Israel's existence and be Monday and it's on the deserted except. All right believed to exist in those states. But amid the din of the uprising home voices of moderation. Errol and Israeli have difficulty being. Married owns more ABC news in the Israeli occupied territory.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.