Israel National News

by Fundamentally Freund

How can someone offer you something that is yours eternally?

According to media reports, Palestinian Chairman Mahmoud Abbas offered Israel the Western Wall and the Old City of Jerusalem as part of a peace deal.

But, as I ask in the column below in the blog section: how can Abbas offer Israel something that we already have?

The Palestinian acceptance of Israel's right to Jerusalem, just like their recognition of Israel's existence, must be viewed as a prerequisite, rather than a part of, any diplomatic process.

We do not need Mr. Abbas, or anyone else for that matter, to give us something we possess already.

And we most certainly don't need to view his reported acknowledgment of reality as constituting a "concession" or a "gesture" which merits a reciprocal response.

Placing ourselves at the mercy of Abbas' fickle approval is not a recipe for peace, but a formula for failure.

Tammuz 26, 5770 / 08 July 10