OPINION:
In the early decades following the founding of Israel, its Arab neighbors harbored the delusion that the Jewish state could be defeated militarily. During those years, Arab diplomats refused to shake the hands of Israeli counterparts, so great was their contempt for Israel and for the U.N. process that had divided the British Mandate of Palestine into presumptive Arab and Jewish states. Their intransigence was so unshakable that the late Israeli diplomat Abba Eban characterized the situation by noting, “The Palestinians never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity.”
Now we might say the same thing about Israel. Instead of capitalizing on its position of strength relative to the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and its favorable relations with the United States, Israel has decided not to go the extra step of renewing the settlement moratorium for three months to defuse a combustible situation and a looming demographic disaster. The control of Gaza and southern Lebanon by Islamic forces dedicated to Israel’s destruction should help focus Israel’s attention on the one diplomatic front where progress is possible, but Israel appears blind to the benefit of peace with the PNA while it confronts Hamas and Hezbollah.
I don’t know that the best way forward is for U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Peace George Mitchell to resume his frustrating travels between two parties with opposite views of reality. Perhaps the time is ripe for an American plan supported by an international push to do all that is diplomatically possible to bring an end to this vexing issue.
PAUL BLOUSTEIN
Cincinnati
Please read our comment policy before commenting.