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November 24, 2000/Heshvan 26, 5761, Vol. 53, No.9
Letters to the EditorNovember 24, 2000
Playing the foolEditor:The Palestinian Arabs would not resort to terrorism once they are given something to lose. This was in essence the main theory put forth by those favoring Oslo. Decisions made on the basis of this theory have put Israel in the precarious position it is in today. After lynching four Israelis, destroying Joseph's Tomb and the Shalam Al Israel Synagogue in Jericho what have the Palestinian Arabs lost? Are they being threatened with the loss of the land that they have already been given? Astonishingly, those on the left, led by Prime Minister Ehud Barak, are tenaciously hoping to go back to the Camp David understandings and the even more compromising U.S. Bridging Proposals. There is a saying : "Fool me once shame on you, Fool me twice shame on me." The Barak government has been fooled repeatedly by Arafat yet remains willing to continue to offer parts of Jerusalem if Arafat will take a respite from terrorism. As 96 out of 100 U.S. Senators recently stated in a letter to President Clinton, the Palestinian Authority made a written commitment which led to the signing of Oslo on September 13, 1993, and that was a commitment to end violence and resolve any disputes. Unfortunately, Barak is still willing to concede historical and strategic assets to a man who has repeatedly violated this most fundamental commitment. Only now are some on the left finally saying something about the vitriolic speeches in the mosques, the Palestinian Arab school textbooks that could have been written by the Nazis, and the maps and insignias that show no existence of the state of Israel. However, even now the Barak government would still be willing to sign an agreement to give up part of Jerusalem, without any changes in the textbooks or the radio broadcasts, just a cessation in terrorism and a written commitment that this agreement would be the end of the conflict. Such a position by the Barak government is nothing short of insanity. The government of Israel needs to enact new policies that show that lynching and terrorism does not pay. Simple non-violent actions, like for Israel to stop depositing money in Arafat's bank account and supplying electricity to Ramallah (the site of the first lynching) and Bet Jala, would be a good start. There cannot be peace with the Palestinian Arabs until they fundamentally change their view of Israel as an alien country that has taken their land. They must give up on their ridiculous claim to a right of return and to any part of Jerusalem. They must finally teach their people, including their children, that terrorism is wrong and peace is right and that Israel has a right to live in secure borders. Farley Weiss National Vice President Zionist Organization of America Associate Vice President National Council of Young Israel |
