By Yoram Getzler One of the great profound mantras of American life is “Keep your eye on the ball”. This incantation is usually associated with the game of baseball. Its roots lie in the wisdom of remaining focused on the essential elements in the game (of life) and not being distracted by the minor secondary concerns however loud or compelling they may be.
The profound truth of this wisdom is now evident in the international political arena, where the focus of the international community, the United States government and all the other characters in the latest chapter in the Middle-East / Arab Israel drama are currently underway.
Thanks in large part of President Obama’s obsession with the Israeli settlement issue, that has mistakenly become the focus of all those concerned. PM Netanyahu is forced to recognize this as the most critical question of our time. PA PM Abbas can not but join in making the continued building in Judea & Samaria the ultimate area of contention between the two communities. The situation has been exploited to such a large degree that if Abbas and the Arab states agree to continue negotiations even if building, however limited, continues they will be seen and see themselves as having made a great sacrifice and compromise in regard to the negotiations themselves.
Meanwhile a truly critical and foundational issue, a root cause of the entire conflict itself is left in the gutter, ignored and potentially lethal to the long term stability of the region and any agreement that may be signed.
That issue is represented by three words “for two people” which is meant to complete the concept “Two states”.
Just last week the Great Moderate, the consummate Technocrat, the international hero of the moderation, and rational policy, Palestinian; president Fayyad walked out of a meeting of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee, which coordinates financial aid for Palestinians which included an Israeli foreign ministry representative, because of the call to add those three short words “for two people” to the “Two states” statement in the protocol of the meeting.
What we are witnessing is the continued historical refusal to accept the legitimacy of the state of Israel, which is where it began more than sixty years ago. So with who or what are the Palestinians negotiating? If they expect that one of the two states constituting the solution will be theirs, ie a Palestinian Arab state, what will the second state be?
The original UN resolution talked about two states for two people, a Jewish state and an Arab state. No mention of a Palestinian state.
If the Palestinian, Arabs and the Muslim world in general can not accept that the Jewish people are entitled to a sovereign national home in their ancient homeland, than what is all the talk going to lead too?
It is like as if Israel would agree to a second (other) state as a state of the Baha’i, or Quakers. I am sure that 95% of the Israeli public would support the creation of such a state! Until the Palestinian / Arab / Muslim world can reconcile themselves to the presence of a sovereign Jewish national home living in its ancient historic home land there will be no peace, no matter the status of the building or the suspension of building in Judea & Samaria.
“Keep your on the eye ball.”Y
