The Observer, December 7, 2007
Volume XL, Issue 13
Annapolis peace conference is worthwhile
To the Editor:
Contrary to Posner's article, the Annapolis peace conference will either provide stability and security for Israel and its neighbors in the Middle East, or things will simply stay the same. With all major Arab nations in support and attendance, there is a chance for real progress to be made concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Rather than suffocating the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank by erecting a 26 foot-high concrete separation barrier to systematically and illegally claim land that is not theirs, Israel has a golden opportunity to formally recognize an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders as recommended by United Nations Resolution 242.
Posner claims the two main Palestinian political parties want to "destroy all things Israeli" and proceeds to label the West Bank and Gaza as Israeli. In reality, they are Israeli-occupied, as Israel is illegally occupying and usurping these Palestinian lands in direct violation of the previously mentioned UN resolution. This is one of the issues to be addressed in future negotiations. Israel has one of the world's most successful economies, while the Palestinians have virtually no economy. The resulting harsh living conditions and despair for the Palestinians can somewhat explain, but by no means justify, the violence committed. However, Israel has been the military aggressor several times in history, as it has been responsible for many massacres of the Palestinian people. Since Sept. 29, 2000, at least 4345 Palestinians and 1027 Israelis have been killed, as documented by the Israeli human rights organization B'Tselem. Neither side can justify the killing of innocent civilians.
The generous peace plan Posner mentioned that was offered to the Palestinians by then-Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak was insufficient. The Palestinians would have had no control over their airspace, borders, and waters. Palestinian refugees would not be allowed to return to their homeland, and illegal Israeli settlements would remain in the West Bank; these are unreasonable conditions and no respectable leader can accept that "deal" on behalf of his nation.
The previously mentioned points, along with sharing Jerusalem as the capital of both nations, allowing Palestinian refugees to return to their homeland, disarming all Palestinian militias, and either removing illegal Israeli settlers (with compensation) from the occupied Palestinian West Bank or keeping the settlers there and offering Israeli land to Palestinians as compensation, will provide the structure for a genuine peace agreement. The Annapolis peace conference provides an opportunity to learn from previous failed negotiations in order for both sides to agree upon a deal that will bring a just and lasting peace, which both Israelis and Palestinians have shown are very deserving of one.
Students interested in the subject at hand should consider joining Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) by e-mailing me (rami@case.edu).
Rami Mikati
President, Students for Justice in Palestine
