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How Not to Have a Palestinian State

(Jerusalem Post) Friends of Israel Initiative - The unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state, and its international recognition, would be a huge mistake. A peace agreement between Israelis and Palestinians is essential, but can be achieved only through honest negotiations - not by one party imposing a unilateral decision. Serious Palestinians know very well that they do not meet the requirements to become a viable state, much less a new UN member. The unilateral declaration is in reality simply another tactic in a broader strategy of embarrassing and then delegitimizing the State of Israel. This is not the time for destructive gestures: it is time to encourage everyone to sit down and negotiate face to face, with no preconditions other than mutual and unequivocal recognition. There cannot be two states living in peace side by side unless Palestinians accept that Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people and the Israelis accept that the Palestinian state will be the state of the Palestinian people. The undersigned all have a sincere desire to see a Palestinian state alongside Israel, living in a lasting and stable peace. We urge the Palestinians to see that the only way they can have their own state is through an agreement with the Israelis. Only sincere dialogue and the unconditional recognition of each side by the other can set the foundations of a viable Palestinian state. This piece was co-written by members of the Friends of Israel Initiative: Jose Maria Aznar, David Trimble, Alejandro Toledo, George Weidenfeld, Marcello Pera, Andrew Roberts, Fiamma Nirenstein, George Weigel, Robert Agostinelli, Carlos Bustelo and William Shawcross.
2011-07-14 00:00:00
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