ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL:
The Israeli Cabinet yesterday approved most of the steps laid out the Bush road map for a Palestinian state. That is not quite the same as accepting the road map, but it is a step in the right direction. The Cabinet took major exception (and rightly so) to one item that remains unclear in the road map: the item of Palestinian refugees and any perceived “right to return” to lands left by Palestinians (now inside Israeli boarders) in the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. The Israelis made clear yesterday that no refugees will be allowed to return.
While Palestinian and US authorities were pleased with stride taken by Israel, both had made clear that there will be no changes made to the road map.
“We welcome the Israeli acceptance of the road map and view it as a positive step," said Palestinian spokesman Michael Tarazi. "However, we certainly will not take into account any Israeli unilateral conditions, and we've been assured by the authors of the road map there will be no changes to the text, and we expect that commitment to be honored."
In a press conference in Paris 23 May 2003, Secretary of State Colin Powell said much the same:
With respect to the roadmap, we are not planning on making any changes to the roadmap. I might mention that just a few moments ago in Washington the United States issued a statement, and in that statement we took note of the fact that Israel has made certain comments with respect to the roadmap.
And we had asked the parties to let us know if they had comments concerning the roadmap, and we have told the Israeli Government that we would take their comments into consideration and address them fully and seriously as we went forward in the implementation of the roadmap, but this does not require us to change the roadmap. It is a good document that leads to the President's vision of two states living in peace side by side, the vision that I think all of us here hold.
This seems antithetical to the goal of establishing this new Palestinian state. The Israelis could certainly have found other points of contention, but, they chose to raise only the most egregious of the plan’s flaws. The US and Palestinians must understand that they will have to negotiate with Israel if this peace process will work any better than prior attempts.
It is certainly no secret that I am a Zionist – given the experiences of my childhood, I could not be any less. It is also no secret, that for years I railed against the idea of a recognized Palestinian state. I am still galled that we have developed diplomatic ties with the Palestinians…at least now though, we have pushed Arafat out of the picture – for affect, if nothing else. As a child in the 70s, the PLO was something to fear – viewed by Americans as that era’s al-Qaeda. And today, we stand on the threshold of a Palestinian state. I have to say, I don’t much like it.
I am, however, willing to support it.
A Palestinian state is, in this day and age, most assuredly, the lesser-of-two-evils. There must be an end to terrorism at all costs. And, if acknowledging a Palestinian state is one of those costs, then we must pay it. Besides, if the Palestinian have a state, it will be easier to hold them accountable for their actions.
If peace is going to work though, the Palestinian and US authorities must wake up and step up to the plate. They cannot expect the Israelis to be the only ones making concessions. And, allowing Palestinians back into lands well inside Israeli borders is beyond the call of reason.
Question is, are they ready to play ball?
posted by Joshua @ 11:10 AM
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