An Israeli and Saudi in a Mens Room

Submitted by Jay1 (United States), Sep 18, 2009 at 23:29

In a rare disagreement with Dr Pipes,I cannot yet offer even one cheer for President Obama. Whether or not a Saudi says hello to an Israeli is rather irrelevant. The issue here is that after fifteen years of intensive Israeli-Palestinian meetings,Israel has offered a demilitarized state to the Palestinians on a very large portion of the territories, probably Arab East Jerusalem included,and the response from the Palestinians is no. The Palestinians insist on every square inch of disputed land,and the refugees allowed into Israel.

That being said,it is for this reason that Israel should not stop the settlements. Certainly not in the name of appeasing the rejectionist Palestinians,or getting a hello from a Saudi in a mens room. Israel is settling parts of the West Bank because that is the "only" way Israel can define a fair border.And Israel should be first and foremost fair to itself as to what a secure border is.It is not wisps of land here or there,but rather a border that looks like a secure border.But if a Saudi happens to say hello to an Israeli in a mens room, the Israeli should be asking the Saudi: Do you expect the Palestinian refugees to return to Israel or Palestine? And what do you recommend about Irans nearly completed nuclear march?

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