The various attempts by
countries in the international community to bring about a political
solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict deserve our gratitude, but
we have to put things in the right perspective, because it seems as
though we are repeating past mistakes. Yet again, Israel has become
subject to ongoing international criticism, even though Jerusalem
compromised on some of its most fundamental interests, expressing a
willingness to pay a heavy price for the sake of achieving the lofty
goal of peace. Just as it was before, no matter what price us Israelis
are willing to pay for peace, or how far we are willing to go, our
country remains under the microscope. That kind of skewed perception
stems from pursuing the wrong interests.
Former Foreign Minister
Abba Eben once famously said that "the Palestinians never miss the
opportunity to miss an opportunity," and it appears that this time
around that statement is going to ring true as well. Why? Just look at
the way the Palestinians are behaving.
Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu didn't just speak with candor (what the Arabs call "dugri"),
he also completed actions illustrating both his intentions and the
direction he was aiming to follow. After an extended deadlock between
the two sides, Israel went ahead and released Palestinian prisoners with
blood on their hands. The prime minister agreed to do that because he
wanted to reach understandings that could change the reality in the
region. It was a duty he was obligated to fulfill, and if you are not
Israeli, then you cannot understand the sacrifice that we made --
previous experience has taught us that many of these prisoners end up
relapsing into terrorism.
Instead of staying the
path and creating a positive atmosphere, the Palestinians have been
drawing a contradictory line, basically destroying everything we have
worked so hard to build. That line forces us to wonder and seriously
question their true intentions. It reminds us of the 1990s, when Yasser
Arafat would talk about peace in English and then turn around and give
legitimacy to terrorism, sometimes engaging in it himself.
Other countries don't
know about the "intifada of stones." They have not experienced it in
Judea and Samaria. The Palestinians realized that terrorist attacks were
causing more harm to the perpetrators, the Palestinians, than the
Israelis, so they opted for violence that doesn't make sensational
headlines, violence which just injures children, women and other
innocents. At the same time, the Palestinian Education Ministry
broadcasts daily incitement against Israel and Jews. There is an
inherent connection between those two things. In November 2012,
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was interviewed on Channel
2, hinting that he was ready to give up on the right of return. But he
was immediately ridiculed and condemned on the Palestinian side, so he
was forced to respond. Abbas released a statement clarifying his
position. That clarification was worrisome and truly put a fat question
mark over the Palestinians ultimate objectives.
Palestinian antagonism
has also manifested itself in a number of small, symbolic incidents.
Earlier this year, Israeli police were pursuing a vehicle traveling 145
kilometers (90 miles) per hour in an 80 kph (50 mph) zone. Managing to
pull over the car, the police were shocked to find that the car belonged
to none other than senior Fatah official Ahmed Qurei. Too bad Qurei is
not also rushing to make peace; the Palestinians' violent behavior
toward law enforcement is reprehensible.
The Jewish side is willing to
give peace a chance. This is the ethos that Israelis were born and
raised on. But we'll only make peace if we can maintain security and
form a reciprocal relationship. The situation demands at least that.
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