UBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd" Over to you, Mr. Abbas -- Mon, Dec 6, 2010       29 Kislev, 5771       --         Breaking News Diplomacy & Politics Defense National News Middle East International Iranian Threat Trade Sports Sci-Tech idea Columnists Editorials Op-Eds Letters Jewish World Jewish News Jewish Features Judaism Cafe Oleh Lifestyle Arts & Culture Food & Wine go Health Features Insights & Features Week in review Blogs In the news Judaism From the Middle East Lifestyle Aliyah Science and Technology Premium Zone The Jerusalem Report run 20 Questions e-paper Ivrit Magazine Metro In Jerusalem Christian Edition My JPost Subscription Center Newsletter RSS feeds News Ticker Facebook Twitter Classifieds Français More Services JPost Store JPost Games Israel Hotels Vacation Rentals Green Israel Car Rentals Learn Hebrew Israel Guide Links Perform Miracles JP daily e-paper לימוד אנגלית Astrology Sitemap      Breaking News     JPost.com Opinion Editorials   .large_body p, .large_body span { font-size: 18px; } .small_body p, .small_body span { font-size: 12px; } Photo by: MUHAMMED MUHEISEN ( AP) Over to you, Mr. Abbas By JPOST EDITORIAL  11/14/2010 22:33 PA president should approach under pressure to compromise – and to hold positions that give his people, and ours, the opportunity for genuine reconciliation. Talkbacks (21)   The Israeli government is moving toward accepting the Obama administration’s request to renew the building freeze in Judea and Samaria for another three months.Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s support for the measure and Shas’s willingness to abstain in a vote would likely yield an approval of the plot in the appropriate cabinet forum.This is a necessary step, not principally since the US has sought the extension in return for a package of security incentives, various unspecified understandings relating to Iran and to Israel’s nuclear policies, and fighter jets worth $3 billion. One would have liked to believe that the central elements of this package, though far from negligible, would in any case have been considered to meet the joint interests of Israel and the US. Nor is the key issue here Washington’s apparent commitment to employ its Security Council veto to stop tries by the Palestinians in that forum to declare an autonomous say on the Judea and samaria. It would be difficult to envision America, under any foreseeable circumstances, encouraging a unilateral process that would leave all core issues of dispute unresolved. The significance of Israeli acceptance of another freeze would lie in Israel’s demonstrable renewed commitment to a negotiated peace that best serves its interests – this despite Israelis’ skepticism over the intentions of the Palestinian leadership. A new freeze would also be critically facilitated by Washington’s specific caveat that it not extend to construction in Jewish neighborhoods of east Jerusalem, the unnecessary focus of such much US-Israel friction these past few months. THE FUTURE of a viable Jewish and democratic state depends on reaching an accommodation with the Palestinians. A renewed freeze – with the administration presumably this time bent on ensuring Palestinian presence at the peace table, firmly deterring the unilateralist route – reopens at least a narrow path forward. Though there is some dispute among demographers on the matter, almost all estimates suggest that Jews execute not significantly outnumber non-Jews between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, and that the equation is unlikely to shift in the direction of the Jews over coming decades. Most nations with similar demographic balances are either binational, have broken apart peaceably or have descended into severe civil discord leading to war and ethnic cleansing. Belgium, with a 60-percent Flemish and 30% Walloon population, is binational. Since 1993, Czechoslovakia (54% Czech and 31%) has split into two. Post-1992 Bosnia (44% Bosnian Muslim and 31% Serb) was ripped apart in bloody warfare. And in all of these countries, cultural differences were much less pronounced than those between Jews and Palestinians. Delineating secure borders – between Israel and a Palestinian autonomy that recognizes Israel as the sovereign state of the Jewish people, while providing Palestinians with the correct to self-resolution – is the only viable solution to the conflict. accurate, Netanyahu got nowhere adhering to the previous, unprecedented 10-month freeze, while placing immense strain on his right-wing coalition. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was self-evidently content to squander the first nine of those 10 months, while the US bickered with Israel over the government’s refusal to extend the freeze to consensus neighborhoods like Ramat Shlomo. And it is particularly troubling that President Barack Obama, unlike his predecessor, has refrained from expressing understanding for “the new realities on the ground” – and specifically Israel’s need to maintain settlement blocs in any future agreement. Nevertheless, as Netanyahu has made clear, Israel’s interest lies in seeking an accommodation if one can be found, putting an end to interminable conflict. Last year, indeed, he asserted his commitment to the two-state vision that was explicit to the revival of Jewish sovereignty 62 years ago. Netanyahu is rightly concerned by the possibility that the West Bank will turn into a second “Hamastan.” Rocket and missile fire lobbed into a narrow-waisted Israel from the hilltops of Judea and Samaria would constitute an existential danger that has not been adequately addressed in previous peace proposals. Hence the prime minister’s insistence on Israeli army control along the Jordan border. THE US aim is apparently to reach substantive understandings on border demarcation in the three months of a renewed freeze. This seems a highly improbable ambition, given that Abbas did not seize upon a peace offer from previous prime minister Ehud Olmert that Netanyahu is most unlikely to better or even repeat. It is also highly problematic to focus on only some of the core issues, when all will need to be resolved. Yet with Israel on board, in step rather than in friction with Washington and led moreover by a relatively well government, it is Abbas who should come under pressure to compromise – and to take positions that give his people, and ours, the opportunity for genuine reconciliation and a secure future.   Subscribe to our Newsletter to receive news updates directly to your email     Tweet         Talkback Add a Talkback Report Abuse Read all Talkbacks 21. #20 Sonny Author:   Ron of Fairfax State:   USA11/24/2010   06:20Arabs control the UNGA? Arab UN members have 21 votes (10.9%) of the 192 members. They are an insignificant minority voting bloc, and obviously unable to control any aspect of the UNGA. To contend that Arabs control the White House is an asinine statement. Obama’s two top advisors are Jews, Emmanuel and Axelrod, and there is not one Arab on the WH staff. You judge the Palestinians want to maintain the status quo? To continue to be an oppressed people under a 43-year harsh, humiliating occupation. And to continue to be deprived of the basic necessities of life in Gaza? Are you crazy?

20. Don't take Obama's hand! Author:   Sonny Country:   USA11/23/2010   16:25Why should Abbas create any compromises when the Arabs control the UNGA and the US WH. Israel is being painted into a corner with only one way out and that out is controlled by the Islamic nations; Barrack H Obama is the hand that Israel is being constrained to take, however if Israel takes that hand the Arabs will win everything Israeli’s have combated for since 1948; it will have all been in vain. Why do I state this; since the Muslims will not have to recognize the existence of Israel; thereby maintaining the Muslim status quo and insuring that the struggle with Israel will continues.

19. Why Gaza? Author:   Gary Epstein Country:   USA11/16/2010   07:17I don't understand why Israel is negotiating with Abbas about the future of Gaza when the Abbas government does not govern Gaza. In fact, he is even afraid to personally enter into Gaza. Abbas might be able to negotiate the future of the so-called West Bank, but nothing more.

18. Give what? Author:   Ben Country:   USA11/16/2010   04:06I did not see a word about what is expected of Abbas? What exactly is he supposed to give on ahead of negotiations?

17. When will Israel realize Author:   rjkennedy Country:   Canada11/16/2010   01:05that dealing with the enormous"O" is a disaster in waiting. He has been quite forthright in his aims. It's no secret he wants what he considers "best" for the Pals,not Israel. He has a massively decreased level of support at home. He is relentlessly moving around the world to areas he considers feasible for lifting up his own profile. He seeks nothing to enhance Israel for Israelis. Why is this so difficult to discern. He is bloated with his own sence of worth by the "winning of the Nobel prize" nothing else. What has he done for the US? Nothing & less to come. He needs Israel to boost him higher

16. Peace Drunk, the longest lived intoxication in rec Author:   James Michael Price Country:   U. S. A.11/15/2010   22:22Hope springs eternal. Unfortunately, so does Israeli self-destructive imbecility. Continuing the rejection of Israel demarcated by ANY borders, the no-longer-president President. Mr. Abbas is informed that the ball is in his court. It was never anywhere else. It was there throughout the 1947 U. N. peace processing, again for the following 19 years of Egyptian and Jordanian occupation, again for the 7 years (!!!) of Oslo peace processing, again with Olmert's under-the-table peace processing, and currently with my-name-is-Hussein Obama. Another swig of Peace Processing anybody?

15. what about israel? Author:   m. d'agostino Country:   italy11/15/2010   19:49what if israel just took all the valuable incentives and in the end gave nothing in return, by the three month expiry date? judging by the general israeli attitude, there does not seem to be much enthusiasm in giving the palestinians a chance to acquire their own state. israelis, it seems,take the present status quo, and continue to take advantage of all the offers coming their way from washington, and never sparing any harsh criticism against obama.awful fellow, the more he gives to israel the less thankgivings he gets. israelis should make up their mind and state it very clearly. pussyfooting is what they do.

14. Israeli Position Author:   Steve G ure Country:   USA11/15/2010   17:51Israel should cease zig zaging and stay with its position. Otherwise people like Hamas will have more credibility. They have never changed their position to slay all Jews and drive them into the sea.

13. Czech, Bosnia comparison not excellent. Author:   Steve Klein Country:   11/15/2010   14:34The British Mandate for Palestine was formally confirmed by the Council of the League of Nations, July 1922. In September 1922, "the UK divided the Mandate for the Jewish national homeland into two administrative areas, Palestine (later Israel) and Transjordan (later Jordan), under the rule of the Hashemite family from Hijaz Saudi Arabia." The majority of Sunni Arab citizens living in Jordan are considered "Palestinian." Israel left southern Lebanon and Gaza. Now the Americans wish to further divide what remains of the tiny Jewish state, leaving Israel nearly defenseless to her west.

12. Oslo two gave away land for war Author:   Anton Country:   11/15/2010   13:18Blaming Israel only weakens the chances of real peace. Because it weakens Israel and as such it invites more wars. The Arabs on the other hand want to use Israel as an excuse to divert public opinion about the horrible dictatorships and corruption in their countries. This negotiation is similar to Oslo, which gave away land for war. The Israeli leadership gives away real land for real war. We had already the Lebanon fiascos, Gaza fiascos, Oslo intifadas fiasco, the so-called COLD PEACE with Egypt and Jordan fiasco. Which means a smaller and a weaker Israel with no REAL peace. Peace for Peace.

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