[National Review] Clifford D. May - For more than a half century, every American president has attempted to find a magic formula that would bring peace to the tiny territories between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. In a recent op-ed, former National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft argues that "a vigorously renewed effort to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict" could produce "real progress" which would cause Hizbullah and Hamas to "lose their rallying principle." How would that work? What could Israel offer Hamas and Hizbullah to induce them to give up "their rallying principle" - which is the annihilation of Israel? At this moment, given the current Palestinian leadership and the support it receives from Tehran, the chance of resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict is as low as it's ever been. Why those who style themselves as foreign-policy "realists" claim otherwise is a mystery. More plausibly, it is only when al-Qaeda, the Iranian mullahs, and other militant Islamists are seen as having failed, that Palestinians will choose leaders who seek peace alongside Israel rather than the destruction of Israel.
2007-01-16 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive