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What Israel Should Do to Lay the Groundwork for Peace

(Washington Post) Reuven Rivlin - There is no currently viable solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. There is no diplomatic process underway, and no indication of imminent negotiations. Yet we are duty bound to recognize where and how we can take effective action to improve the prospect that we will be able to live together, Jews and Arabs, in our region as we are destined rather than doomed to do. Independent of the geopolitical territorial debate, it is clear that cultivating channels of communication and cooperation between Israeli and Palestinian businessmen, educators and cultural figures improves our situation. Confidence, however, cannot be built unilaterally. It is clear that the Palestinians must end the incitement and violence against Israel. They must end the rejection of the very existence of Israel. To Palestinian youths I say: Lives matter. Our lives matter. Your lives matter. I urge Palestinian parents and teachers to foster in their young dreams of life, not aspirations of death. The struggle between our peoples has already seen so much death and bloodshed - more is not going to solve it. The international community, led by the United States, has a crucial role to play. Nurturing mutual values and encouraging dialogue and cooperation can help lay the groundwork for a future settlement - whenever it may come - and make its success ever more likely. The writer is President of Israel.
2015-12-09 00:00:00
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