The one ultimate fact that must not be ignored about a sovereign state

Yes. We most certainly want to give the Palestinians hope. But there is one Palestinian hope that is not in the cards: the hope that we will disappear.

Dr. Aaron Lerner..
IMRA Weekly Commentary..
03 June '15..

A sovereign Palestinian state established within the framework of detailed bilateral and international agreements and understandings could remain a
sovereign state even if it ignored or even outright openly voided those agreements and understandings.

This is the critical fact that must guide our approach to the 2 state question.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu wisely declares that a necessary condition for a Palestinian state is the ongoing operation of the IDF inside the areas of such a state.

Even if such an arrangement was included in the detailed bilateral and international agreements and understandings associated with the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state, when the Palestinians ignore or even outright openly void this arrangement they would remain a sovereign state.

It would be insulting to suggest that the Palestinians aren't aware of this and even more insulting to assume that they won't plan to do just that in a series of moves crafted to draw support from significant elements of the international community and understanding from others.

The State of Israel does not seek photo opportunity signing ceremonies at the expense of its obligation to this and future generations.

This attitude of sacrificing the welfare of future generations for the sake of short-term gain runs counter to Jewish tradition. The story is told (Ta'anit, 23a) of Honi Hame'agel, the Jewish Rip Van Winkle, who saw an old man planting a carob tree. He asked the man why he was working so hard, since the tree would bear fruit only in 70 years.

The man replied: "I found a world with carobs because my forefathers planted them, and I say: I also plant a carob tree ... for my children after me."

We owe it to ourselves, to previous generations who sacrificed so much to get us here as well as to the unborn future generations, to resist the temptation to forfeit the future in return for what at best may be momentary relief.

To be clear: We Israelis - across the political spectrum - are very interested and open to support programs and policies to give hope to the Palestinians for a good today - and an even better tomorrow. And many of these policies and programs are already being implemented with the removal of roadblocks and upgrading of remaining ones streamlining Palestinian movement in the West Bank combined with a dramatic liberalization of work and other entry permits into Israel. It seems that a week doesn't go by without a report in Ma'an - the independent Palestinian news agency - of additional Israeli measures and programs to improve the situation.

Yes. We most certainly want to give the Palestinians hope.

But there is one Palestinian hope that is not in the cards: the hope that we will disappear.

Link: http://www.imra.org.il/story.php3?id=67438

IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis Since 1992 providing news and analysis on the Middle East with a focus on Arab-Israeli relations
Website: www.imra.org.il

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