Posted 5/18/2003 11:15:00 AM by Ocean Guy
Road Map Doomed

Ninety Days. I would demand 90 days of no violence from the palestinians. Before I could even consider transferring Jews from the disputed territories, the Arabs would have to prove they want peace. If the Arabs can deliver 3 months free of violence only then would I consider any negotiations about the future of the territories.

Immediately I would begin talks with the recognized Arab governments. I would be working for full recognition and normalization of diplomatic and trade relationships. The signal must be sent that the Arab world as a whole, and specifically the nations that attacked Israel in 1948, must recognize their integral role in the conflict. If the Arabs are unwilling to talk and or if the Arabs cannot cease the violence, then we are simply fooling ourselves into thinking there will ever be peace between the Arabs and a secure Israel.

It's time for the Arabs to demonstrate that they have given up on their desire to destroy Israel. It needs to be demonstrated and not simply spoken about as some ethereal vision. There are simple concrete steps the Arabs can take. Israel has continually shown ti is willing to concede more than it should and more than it needs to in the interest of peace. Only Jordan and Egypt have come close to demonstrating that peace is desirable, but even they continue to keep the focus on the mythical palestinian people with their only object being to pressure Israel into yet more concessions.

Still the Israelis continue to suffer the violence and hatred maintaining their noble, sincere and urgent desire for peace. The only problem is they have no partners for peace. The Arabs have something else in mind. The world has been painfully slow in recognizing that.

The mere fact that some Arabs want peace doesn’t mean that peace will ever be possible. The only real hope for peace is the democratization of the region. How likely is that to happen?

It’s time to take a cold hard look at the reality of the situation between the Arabs and the Israelis. If the Jews were half as ruthless as the world makes them out to be, there would be no Arabs living in squalor on land they claim. If the Arabs had truly desired peace they would have built beautiful cities of Ramallah and Gaza over the last 55 years. The mere existence of the camps in Jenin, Ramallah, and everywhere in the disputed territories is evidence that only one side has ever desired peace. When will the world wake up.

Instead of pressuring Israel into making any more concessions, instead of pressuring them to even talk to the palestinians, we should be putting all possible pressure on the Arabs to demonstrate they really want peace. That pressure should start immediately.

The Arabs have avoided their responsibilities for 55 years. It’s time for that to change. At the end of 90 days I would start real occupation of territory the Arabs claim. Arab residents would be expelled instead of Israeli residents.

If, somehow, the Arabs accepted a solution with a second palestinian state living with Israel, transfer of a large population would be necessary. But for some reason it’s OK to assume Jews will be transferred, but it’s anathema to even think of Arab transfer. We can’t ignore reality forever.

Is ninety days too much to ask?