A Peace Treaty Between The Palestinians And Israel: Unlikely

The other day, the administration had Thomas Friedman, of the NY Times, launch a trial balloon regarding a peace treaty between Israel and the Palestinians.  Anyway, that's what I'm guessing.  I might be wrong.  Friedman's article might have sprung full strength from his own fertile mind.  But, whichever the case, it doesn't really matter.  It's not likely to happen.

The deal envisioned includes the following:

1. No return of Palestinians to homes they claim in Israel.
2. Recognition of Israel as a Jewish state.
3. Establishing east Jerusalem as the Palestinian capitol.
4. No permanent presence of Israelis along the Jordanian border.
5. Using the '79 truce line between Israel and the Jordanians as the basis for drawing the boundary between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

The first problem we meet, however, is the division in the Muslim leadership between Hamas in Gaza and the Fatah leadership on the west bank.  Are the Palestinian people one people or are they two peoples?  it's a question of considerable consequence.  Clearly it figures into a number of the issues listed above.

But putting aside for a moment questions raised by Hamas in Gaza, let's turn to the 5 issues listed above.   Right of return is a dead issue.  It would change the character of Israel and I don't see Israel letting that happen.

Israel is what it is; namely, a Jewish state.  If Israel is to give unconditional recognition to the Palestinians then that is what the Palestinians must do vis-a-vis Israel.  There is some irony in the Palestinian position when one considers that Israel has Muslims in its state, whereas the Palestinians will accept absolutlely no Jews in theirs.

The '79 border issue is also a none issue.  It was merely a truce line between Jordan and the State of Israel arrived at after the Jordanian army failed in its effort to destroy Israel.  This border may be considered holy by the UN and the global Arab community but that does not make it so.

East Jerusalem is a side issue to the border issue, but one with far greater relevance to Israel and Jews everywhere.  Jerusalem, the city of David, has been forever in the prayer services of the Jews.  It is never mentioned in the Koran.   Is Israel now to give up a piece of its sacred city to the Palestinians?  That's ridiculous.  And, one more fact: Divided cities don't work.  Name one.

But a factor as important as all the other factors named above is that Israel simply can not trust the Palestinians.  Consider the Arab spring and what it tells us about todays Muslims.  In Egypt the secular Muslims found it intolerable to live under the rule of the Muslim Brotherhood.  But, suppose the Muslim Brotherhood had retained power.  Their support of Hamas would have made Israel's border with Gaza far more dangerous than it already is.

Consider the events in Syria.  At one time some Israelis considered returning the Golan to Syria, if some sort of peace treaty could have been struck.  We can now see what a dangerous idea that was.  It will never happen.

The situation in Syria teaches us another lesson; namely, radical Islamists will flock to whatever Muslim struggle invites them in.  Today, Muslim radicals from Europe, some from the U.S., more from the Balkans, from Australia and from Malaysia have come into Syria to do battle with Shiite forces.  And, of course, Assad, Iran and Hezbollah represent the Shiites.  Suppose, at some future time, hostilities were to break out between Israel and the Palestinians?  You might ask, why would you even contemplate such a scenario?  The answer is simple.  While Israel has been trying to lay a foundation for peace, the Palestinians have been sowing hatred of Israel and Jews in their schools and among their people.  They speak in pacifist tones when they speak in English.  In Arabic, they incite hatred.

When they elevate Nakba to a national holiday, they do not mourn Muslim defeats at the hands of the Israelis; they mourn the very founding of the State of Israel.  When they elevate the status of terrorists to that of national heroes, what chance does peace have?  When israel tries to develop economic ties with Palestinian business people -- opportunities that result in Palestinian employment at wage levels that equal those of the Israelis -- Fatah objects.  They view it as "normalization."  I can see their point.  But, unless the process of building trust is allowed to begin, how can trust ever be established?

It appears Gaza can be contained if Israel exercises sufficient diligence.  Hopefully, the same is true of Hezbollah to the north.  And, then, we have Syria.  But, if the west bank is allowed to become one more base of Islamist operations against Israel, that will be one base too many.

And now we have an administration in America, which seems not to know where its own best interests lie in the Middle East.  Can Israel allow such an administration to set the terms under which Israel must proceed?  Obama can help but notice the acclaim given Jimmy Carter when Sadat, defeated in war against Israel, made peace with Israel. (Carter just happened to be in the right place at the right time.) Obama and Kerry now want a Peace Prize trophy of their own.  (Actually Obama already has one.  Why?  Ask the Swedes.)  If it means that Kerry, with Obama's backing, has to hang Israel out on a line, neither could care less.  And, the Israelis know it.