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Flicker of Hope vs. False Premises

[Washington Times] Clifford D. May - One American administration after another has embraced the same false premises and set into motion a "peace process" that ineluctably fails. In 1967, Israel's Arab neighbors fought a war to wipe the Jewish state off the map. When they lost, Israel took control of Gaza and the West Bank. Israelis were willing to relinquish those territories - but they wanted a solid peace treaty in exchange. No Arab leader was willing to pay that price. Seven years ago, President Bush officially endorsed the establishment of a Palestinian state - as long as it would not become another terrorist-sponsoring state. Hamas explicitly rejected that condition. Hamas demands that infidels leave the Middle East or, at the very least, submit to Islamic rule. But isn't that just where the bargaining begins? No. For Hamas, Islamic supremacy is not a negotiating position; it's a religious conviction and therefore not open to compromise. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thinks an "economic peace" could pave the way to a broader settlement. He recalls that the economy of the West Bank was among the fastest growing in the world after 1967 and before 1993 - when Israeli leaders brought Yasser Arafat from exile. A precipitous economic decline followed. The writer is president of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.
2009-08-14 06:00:00
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