Re: Partner for Peace? -- Back Talk

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Subject: Re: Partner for Peace?

Author:
JeffF

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Date Posted: 10:19:22 08/07/01 Tue
In reply to: Mark7 's message, "Partner for Peace?" on 08:20:38 08/07/01 Tue

You can only make peace with the leadership of a nation negotiating with the leadership of another nation, unless you seriously know a way you can negotiate with a whole people. Arafat and the rest of the Palestinian leadership are what we have available to negotiate with.

The fact is Israel has continuously shown that it wants peace at almost any price. Let's not forget that the peace treaty with Egypt gave them back virtually all captured land in exchange for nothing but a promise of peace. The peace with Egypt has been cold, but it has been peace and it was worth giving back every inch of land to have safety and security.

As for a different kind of pressure being brought on the US government, don't forget that I work a block away from the White House and the demonstrations on behalf of the Palestinians since the situation started have been increasing in both volume and number. Obviously, the Palestinians and their sympathizers have the same rights to make their views known as Jews and they have the same right to lobby.

"Why make peace when you are winning at war?"
For one reason, becuase the demographics are not on Isreals side. Even accounting for the Russian Jews, Arabs will outnumber Jews in Israel if she keeps all of the occupied territories. For another, constant war and adminsitration of the territories are economically draining. Israel's inflation is still incredibly high and a lot of this is from the constant need for a war economy. There's also a lot to gain in relations with Europe by making the West Bank an independant political nation, but as Golda Meir said years ago "The Palestinians have never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity."
Where is the Sadat on the Palestinian side who understands that they can win only through negotiations? Egypt never got back any territory by fighting with a militarily stronger Israel but got back almost all of Egyptian territory after serious negotiations. There's a lesson for the Palestinians here.

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