Another promising sign of possible progress towards peace between Israelis and Palestinians received publicity today. The head of Hamas announced: “…that his political party and military wing would commit to an immediate reciprocal cease-fire with Israel, as well as a prisoner swap that would return Hamas fighters for kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. He also said his organization would accept and respect a Palestinian state based on 1967 borders as part of a broader peace agreement with Israel—provided Israeli negotiators accept the right of return for millions of Palestinian refugees and the establishment of a capital for the Palestinian state in East Jerusalem.” (Jay Solomon and Julian Barnes-Dacey, “Hamas Chief Outlines Terms for Talks on Arab-Israeli Peace,” Wall Street Journal, July 31, 2009)
Regrettably, both Israel and the United States refuse to negotiate with Hamas until Hamas recognizes Israel’s right to exist. As I’ve argued before, that pre-condition may sound sensible but in fact creates a very one-sided playing field because Israel refuses the right of a sovereign, viable Palestine state to exist.
Even as God loves all equally, so should we attempt to emulate that love. Loving Israel more than Palestinians sows seeds of discord rather than seeds of peace.
2 comments:
The right to return is a nonstarter that attempts to destroy the Israeli state through negotiation what was not achieved through war.
If indeed an opening, It seems to have come about because of the refusal to negotiate with Hamas.
Most Palestinians do not wish to exercise their right to return. Fruitful negotiations that will produce progress towards a peaceful resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict will begin with the most tractable issues. That means Israel should ignore the Palestinians’ refusal to admit Israel’s right to exist. Concomitantly, negotiators can finesse the right to return issue by paying lip service to it, but providing market based financial settlements to Palestinians whose land Israel unfairly expropriated.
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