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Why Unilateral Israeli Moves Won't Bring Peace

(Commentary) Jonathan S. Tobin - If a majority of Israelis have lost faith in hopes for peace, it is not because they want to hold onto all of the West Bank, but because they know they are locked in a long war with an enemy that views the conflict as a zero-sum game. As Daniel Polisar's study of 20 years of Palestinian opinion surveys shows, huge majorities don't think the Jews have a right to any part of the country. That's why Netanyahu is right to insist that they give up that hope of Israel's destruction before he risks the lives of its people. Israel can't make peace by itself. Nor can it assure its security by handing over territory that will be turned into another Gaza. Like it or not, the status quo will end as soon as the Palestinians are finally ready for peace and not before. Rather than pressure Israel's leader, Israel's friends need to put the onus on Abbas, Hamas, and the rest of the Palestinians to give up their fantasies. Until they do, Palestinian leaders will continue to think that they can go on waiting for the West to someday hand Israel over to them on a silver platter.
2015-11-13 00:00:00
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