You might ask why America's leading Jewish peace organization isn't triumphantly celebrating the resumption of direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
Americans for Peace Now's response is more measured.
Not that we don't savor the moment. Of course we do. Even after all the failures and disappointments of the past, it's exciting to see the leaders of Israel and the Palestinians sitting down to negotiate peace, face to face, and to do so under the auspices of a US President who clearly remains committed to achieving peace.
At this time, we are less interested in celebrating the opening of talks itself, and more interested in making sure this week's Washington gathering is not merely another ceremony, but the beginning of a process that will yield real results.
Americans for Peace Now's response is more measured.
Not that we don't savor the moment. Of course we do. Even after all the failures and disappointments of the past, it's exciting to see the leaders of Israel and the Palestinians sitting down to negotiate peace, face to face, and to do so under the auspices of a US President who clearly remains committed to achieving peace.
At this time, we are less interested in celebrating the opening of talks itself, and more interested in making sure this week's Washington gathering is not merely another ceremony, but the beginning of a process that will yield real results.
The moment is not insignificant. It is significant that the head of the
most hard-line coalition in Israel's history comes to the table to
negotiate the creation of a Palestinian state. And it is noteworthy that
the leader of the Palestinian people comes to the table with the
approval of the entire Arab world and with a commitment to active
support from the leaders of Egypt and Jordan. And, of course, it is more
than significant that the negotiations are steered by a US president
who says he is staunchly committed to achieving peace between Israel and
a future Palestine, indeed, between Israel and the entire Arab world.
All that enhances our hope that these talks will bring us closer to ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We know that peace is possible. What is needed is the political will to do so. All parties must make tough decisions. We also know that the conflict must be resolved, for the sake of Israel, the Palestinians, and US national security interests. We know that peace is vital and we know it's possible.
We also know that peace will only be possible if Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Abbas and President Obama are ready to act boldly.
Since Israel and the PLO signed the Oslo accord in 1993, Israeli, Palestinian and American leaders have too often been telling the world that they are committed to peace. Telling with words, not always showing with actions.
The time for words has passed. It is time for actions that demonstrate a real commitment to achieving a conflict-ending peace agreement.
Now it's time to show. It's time for the leaders to show that they are serious, to roll up their sleeves and strike a deal. It's time for Israeli and Palestinian leaders to stop strategizing about how to avoid blame for the failure of the talks. It's time for them to stop the hypocrisy of mouthing peace rhetoric while engaging in actions that undermine peace.
It's time for them to focus on ways to make the negotiations succeed. It's time for them to make room for compromise, to engage the Obama administration to devise bridging formulae. America's role is about more than corralling the parties into the talks., It is about making sure they stay on track, and get the hard work done. It's time for Israeli and Palestinian leaders to engage in a genuine effort to educate their constituencies about the importance of a peace deal, and to prepare their publics for painful compromises.
It's time for all leaders - Israeli, Palestinian and American - to show that when they talk about a two-state solution they really mean it. It's time for them to give Israelis and Palestinians real cause for celebration.
It has been said that optimism is the recognition that odds are in our favor, while hope is the belief that things will work out, even if the odds are against us.
We welcome these new direct talks because we hope to see Netanyahu, Abbas, and Obama doing more than going through the motions. We'll be watching.
All that enhances our hope that these talks will bring us closer to ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We know that peace is possible. What is needed is the political will to do so. All parties must make tough decisions. We also know that the conflict must be resolved, for the sake of Israel, the Palestinians, and US national security interests. We know that peace is vital and we know it's possible.
We also know that peace will only be possible if Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Abbas and President Obama are ready to act boldly.
Since Israel and the PLO signed the Oslo accord in 1993, Israeli, Palestinian and American leaders have too often been telling the world that they are committed to peace. Telling with words, not always showing with actions.
The time for words has passed. It is time for actions that demonstrate a real commitment to achieving a conflict-ending peace agreement.
Now it's time to show. It's time for the leaders to show that they are serious, to roll up their sleeves and strike a deal. It's time for Israeli and Palestinian leaders to stop strategizing about how to avoid blame for the failure of the talks. It's time for them to stop the hypocrisy of mouthing peace rhetoric while engaging in actions that undermine peace.
It's time for them to focus on ways to make the negotiations succeed. It's time for them to make room for compromise, to engage the Obama administration to devise bridging formulae. America's role is about more than corralling the parties into the talks., It is about making sure they stay on track, and get the hard work done. It's time for Israeli and Palestinian leaders to engage in a genuine effort to educate their constituencies about the importance of a peace deal, and to prepare their publics for painful compromises.
It's time for all leaders - Israeli, Palestinian and American - to show that when they talk about a two-state solution they really mean it. It's time for them to give Israelis and Palestinians real cause for celebration.
It has been said that optimism is the recognition that odds are in our favor, while hope is the belief that things will work out, even if the odds are against us.
We welcome these new direct talks because we hope to see Netanyahu, Abbas, and Obama doing more than going through the motions. We'll be watching.
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work,love and knowledge to sustain us all CHAVERIM,AVANTI
Ori, I appreciate your hopefulness, though I don’t share your analysis. You wrote that “what is needed is the political will” to resolve the conflict. You went on to claim that “The time for words has passed. It is time for actions.”
Political leaders need followers, constituencies, and partners in order to cut everyday deals, let alone to make peace. Words that persuade, promise, renounce, and acknowledge the past – all these will be necessary for a meeting of the minds to occur. We need both words and actions.
And given the level of distrust all around as well as the significant gaps that still remain regarding substantive issues, political will on the part of leaders is insufficient. Ideas (some of them new) must be proposed, debated, and eventually “sold” to the leaders as well as by the leaders to each other and to their own people – Palestinians, Israelis, and even Americans – if peace is to be achieved. I agree with you that “all parties must make tough decisions” if by “parties” you mean the peoples as well as their elites.
Even if a deal between leaders is reached in Washington, Cairo, or elsewhere, Israelis and Palestinians will likely hold some form of referendum to ratify the decision. Without serious and effective efforts to persuade the population, a negotiated deal could be voted down or otherwise derailed by either side. The case needs to be developed now, not then, for how a peace deal will benefit Palestinian and Israeli constituencies all across the political spectrum. The focus of attention should not just be on U.S.-mediated talks between leaders. Now is the time to begin intensifying communication within the Israeli and within the Palestinian communities to prepare for the possibility of peace.
Michael Lame
I agree that a new approach is needed: Netanyanhu
and Abbas shud define each major item of discussion
and possible agreement from the point of view of th
eir governments--and the known needs of their respe
ctive Citizens who are affected...These 'issue-subj
ects' shud then be given to mostly-practical, not entirely political small groups who can work toget
her to determine and propose a solution and a seco
nd-choice measure?..When developed, each such issu
e shud be presented to both major negotiators for
provisional-approval [subject to adjustment to hel
p resolve another important issue]?..Like two peop
le planing a multi-course dinner that both are to
serve a large group, each 'course' is defined and then the details of preparation, cooking, and servi
ng are agreed and committed?..Palestine must be ad
dressed and referred-to as a nation--not 'occupied
territories', the Gouvernment-General, or untermenc
henland...Aaron Allen...