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Israel: True Reconciliation Needed, Not Just Two-State Solution

(Jerusalem Post) Herb Keinon - The goal of the diplomatic process should be a historic reconciliation between Jews and Arabs, and not just a two-state solution, Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon said Sunday. He said framing the upcoming discussions as trying to get to a two-state solution was to define the problem in too narrow a fashion. "For this to be a lasting peace," Ayalon said, "what was needed was reconciliation based on co-existence." Ayalon said that Israel would agree to a Palestinian state if this was the way the road had to go to lead to a historic reconciliation, but could not agree to a Palestinian state that would infringe on vital Israeli interests and not result in the longed-for historic agreement. "We want peace, and understand it will entail two states," Ayalon said. "But we can't be fatigued or impatient. We can't work under a time limit." Ayalon pointed out that in the 17 years since the Oslo process began in 1993, all Israeli parties have moved a long distance toward accepting the idea of a Palestinian state. By comparison, he said, "the Palestinians have not moved an inch."
2010-05-17 09:29:02
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