Uri Savir is president of the Peres Center for Peace and served as Israel’s chief negotiator for the Oslo Accords. He wrote a passionate and anguished article decrying the current state of the relationship between Israel and the Palestinian people and their Authority. I wanted to contribute to him my response and suggestion to his anguished cry “There must be another way”.
YES Mr. Savir, there is another way! (Jerusalem Post Friday Oct 27 ’11-Savir’s Corner: There must be another way)
Of course many of us would love to see a different Prime Minister heading our government. Some would also like to see a different electorate. But at this moment we can only work with the current given conditions while making every effort to effect positive change.
There is however another community involved that could also contribute positively to the manifestation of another way, that could contribute to creating another reality And I imagine that you are one of the persons who could most influence that “other” people.
It seems that you are in a unique position lay the foundation to that other way…to convince your good friends among the leaders and decision makers of the Palestinian people to go ahead, take a great risk, if necessary to make fools of themselves and to even eat some humble pie for their holy cause and accept Netanyahu’s meaningless and foolish demand by publicly acknowledging the reality; that Israel is indeed the State of the Jewish People. Then if you could help them turn to the real issue between our two people and accept the biblical historical narratives known through the world, and the statements of their own holy Qur’an itself: Such as: ““We (Allah) established for the children of Israel a secure dwelling in the Land of Canaan” – from the Koran Sura; “Jonas” 10:91 and the other Suras that confirm the connection between Allah and the Jewish people and the connection to this small corner of the planet.
Another possible way requires reaching past the recent politically motivated and developed rejection of the historical truth as reflected in both the Muslim holy scripture the Qr’ran and the Hebrew Tanach/Bible to the fundamental and singular issue; Why we are here, on the west coast of Asia, the Eastern end of the Mediterranean, between the river and the sea…Who sent us to this place? Why have we returned.
In these ways you might help bring about another reality, another way, a different reality. I believe these changes would open the gates to another way of relating between Jews & Muslims that may lead to a more peaceful creative relationship.
Yoram Getzler: Co-host of Israelseen.com
