Three major working assumptions clouding the policy debate

Dr.Aaron Lerner
IMRA
Weekly Commentary
22 April '10

The first step towards effectively addressing dangerously faulty policy recommendations is to understand the underlying assumptions that drive them.

Here is a quick review of some of the major assumptions.

Assumption #1. If Israel withdraws to the ’67 line the Arabs will no longer have any claim against Israel and there will be peace for generations.

Ramifications: Israeli concerns regarding secure borders, enforcement of the demilitarization of the Palestinian state and pretty much any other security issue do not have to be seriously addressed since withdrawal will in and of itself insure Israel’s security.

Assumption #2. The utopian peace derived from withdrawal to the ’67 is an “all or nothing” proposition, with the resulting peace only observable after complete withdrawal.

Ramification: Arab attitudes and activities prior to the completion of Israel’s withdrawal to the ’67 lines are completely irrelevant for the purposes of analyzing post withdrawal scenarios.

Assumption #3. The entire world shares a set of universal values that coincides with “Western” values. All other value systems are no more than cultural window dressing.

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