Lessons from Oslo: A recipe for Israel's destruction

Submitted by Lisette Murad (United States), Jun 11, 2003 at 00:28

Montreal, June 10th'03

Dear Sir:

I was somewhat surprised to read, that you believed, that the "road map", can work better than previous so called "peace processes", if the parties concerned learned from the failings of Oslo.

The only thing that was learned from Oslo, was that Israel is vulnerable, confused and unable to defend its citizens against terror and worldwide condemnation. There is no fundamental difference between the "Road Map" or Oslo except for rewarding Palestinian terrorism with a state under the former. Palestinian incitement and a call for the destruction of the Jewish State continues in schools, mosques and many places in the Arab world. The use of suicide bombers is supported by 80% of the Palestinian population. No renunciation of violence has occurred, no dismantling of terror networks has materialized. Prime Minister Sharon, replicating the same mistakes as his predecessors Rabin and Barak made in Oslo, is negotiating under fire and making concrete unilateral concessions. On the other hand, the Palestinians are simply required to make a "serious effort" to prevent the massacre of Israeli civilians, nothing more, no accountability. Deja vu? Moreover, Abbas himself is a Fatah co-founder, and a Holocaust denier, hardly a man not compromised by terror. Unfortunately, the US has put tremendous unilateral pressure on Israel in dismantling settler outpost(but not illegal Palestinian outposts) and providing millions of dollars for cosmetic Palestinian reforms. Furthermore, it is not simply Hamas and Islamic Jihad whose aim is the destruction of Israel but Fatah and the Al-Aqsa Brigades who are under the direct control of Abbas.

The Bush Administration's current initiative in the Middle-East has been greatly modified from the June 24'02 speech in which President Bush called for reforming Palestinian institutions and ending terror and incitement as a prerequisite to talks. In view of the seven Israelis murdered recently, the comments by the US government that we will not allow a "few terrorists" to derail the "road map"is scurrilous, morally unacceptable and demonstrates clearly that the current American administration has learnt nothing from the past and continues to invoke a double standard wherever Israel is concerned. While the Palestinians cheered for Saddam Hussein and celebrated the death of three thousand Americans during 9/11, the Bush government has declared its support for a Palestinian State. Such a policy is doomed to failure.

I am sorry to disappoint you, but the "Road Map" is simply a recipe for Israel's destruction. To believe otherwise is delusional. That is what I have learned from Oslo.

Sincerely,

Lisette Murad
Montreal, Canada

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