ISRAEL IS MISSING THE BOAT
(….for reaching a meaningful settlement)

Not so long ago both Israel and the Palestinians were saying that they were prepared to accept a two state solution, mutually prepared to recognized each other’s existence, and ready to negotiate over ultimate boundaries and related territorial matters.

Unfortunately, Israeli leadership has since allowed itself to be sidetracked by those of their people who are categorically opposed to any kind of permanent agreement. Thus, peace talks of any import have been largely abandoned, falling back into the trap of violence and counter-violence instead.

Nor has the Palestinian Authority displayed any better leadership either, unable to control the extremists of the Hamas group’s useless rocket attacks on Israel (probably orchestrated by Iran) from the Gaza Strip.

So both parties to this endlessly useless brawl have continued to play tit-for-tat games with each other. The Israelis continue with their stealth settlements land grabs, while the Palestinians turn a blind eye to their extreme elements who keep launching rockets and other attacks on Israel.

The sad thing is that their surrounding neighbors, and almost all of the rest of the Arab world, have categorically accepted the two-state resolution for this conflict, and, recognition that both states have a right to exist. Even more, both the PLO, and Hamas, as a result of that declaration, deleted the rhetoric calling for the destruction of the State of Israel, from their organizational charters.

The current unilateral move by the Palestinians to seek UN recognition is perhaps the most constructive move they’ve yet made, because, it forces everyone to put their money where their mouths have been. Either the world community (as represented by the UN) concurs with its application for national statehood and membership….or it shows itself to be hypocritical, since it would be denying to one people what it accorded to another some sixty three years ago.

It also puts the United States between a rock and a hard place. If it exercises its veto against the Palestinian application, besides also being shown as a hypocrite, and losing even more of what’s left of its credibility in the Arab world, such a move will also diminish its international standing everywhere else. If it does not exercise its veto then it loses credibility as a reliable ally with the Israelis and their supporters.

As for the Israelis, they are missing the boat for reaching a long sought peace settlement.

Were its leaders truly statesmen, long before this situation developed, these would have taken the initiative. That is, they would have had their Knesset make a people to people offer to the Palestinian Parliament, hard on the heels of the Arab League’s declaration, by offering:

a) recognition that both they and the Palestinians have a right to exist as national states.
b) unconditional readiness to negotiate their permanent boundaries between them.
c) prepared to act as sponsors for the Palestinians’ membership in the United Nations.

The outline of such a move, to include the formation of a joint Middle Eastern Union for their mutual security, was presented to then Prime Minister Sharon. While his response was non-committal , it did suggest interest in the concept. Unfortunately nothing came of it, and nothing approaching that idea has cropped up since that time.
But they may yet pull it off, if, Prime Minister Netanyahu surprises everyone by making a proposal along these lines when he attends the UN’s General Assembly with the Palestinian President Abbas.

In fact, one can’t help but wonder if these two wily politicos haven’t cooperated together to put on this suspenseful bit of international political drama, just to accomplish such a result. As a – fait accompli- it would blow any opposition from any side….right out of the water.

That would truly be something worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize.

CENTURION