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What Should Israel and the Palestinians Do Now?

(New York Times) David Harris - The New York Times editorial "Enough Game-Playing" (Oct. 30) ends with the counterfactual assertion that "Israelis cannot bet on the infinite patience of the Palestinian people." It is the Israelis who have demonstrated "infinite patience," while waiting for the Palestinians to come to terms with a two-state settlement. The Palestinian side rejected every opportunity along the way starting in 1947, when the UN proposed a two-state solution for British-controlled Palestine. The Jews accepted the plan; the Arab world rejected it. Until 1967, the West Bank, Gaza and eastern Jerusalem were in Arab hands, yet no Palestinian state emerged. In 2000, Israel, with American support, offered a two-state proposal at Camp David, only to be rebuffed by the Palestinians. In 2008, Israel again offered a two-state accord, with the same tragic result. And now Israel calls on the Palestinians to resume direct talks leading to a two-state deal. The reply is procrastination and preconditions. It is Israel that, for the sake of peace, has shown remarkable patience. It is high time for the Palestinians to reciprocate and move toward a better future for both peoples. The writer is executive director of the American Jewish Committee.
2010-11-03 10:35:04
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