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Israel Must Put Security First

(New York Times) Isi Leibler - The critical message Israel has absorbed from the conflict in Gaza is that, despite the wish of the vast majority of Israelis to separate themselves from the Palestinians, the practical implementation of a two-state policy is utterly unrealistic and, for the time being, off the agenda. The reality is that in the absence of Israeli military forces in the West Bank, Hamas would take over. A recent opinion poll showed that the majority of Palestinians, 72%, support Hamas' armed approach. Besides, with the rise of the barbaric Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, and the effective dissolution of national borders in the region, it would be virtually suicidal for Israel to contemplate accepting the 1949 armistice lines as the basis for permanent borders. Israel must retain defensible borders and ensure that a Palestinian state would remain demilitarized. That means rejecting any suggestion of international forces to monitor Israel's security. The disintegration of UN peacekeeping forces in Syria near the Golan Heights border in August exemplifies why Israel should never delegate its security to third parties. The writer served as president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry and Chairman of the Governing Board of the World Jewish Congress.
2014-09-11 00:00:00
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