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Harold Evans on Israel's Challenges from the United Nations to the J Street Lobby

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"Like those who do not want their tax money supporting abortion, I also do not like my tax dollars supporting illegal settlements…"
"…I have one question from the point of a US taxpayer. Why does Israel continue building settlements in territory gained from the 1967 war…"
The "settlements" issue is of course only an attempt to divert attention from the core issue of the Arab Israeli conflict which is the total, consistent and persistent refusal of the Arabs, Palestinian and otherwise, to accept Israel's legitimacy and its right to be, to exist as the nation-state of the Jewish people.
None of the other issues are at the core, either, e.g. "borders and territory", "natural resources", "refugees" or even "Jerusalem". These issues were not there in 1947 when the UN voted to establish a "Jewish state" and an "Arab state" in the Land, yet the Arabs rejected this UN resolution, 181, and instead initiated the 1947-1949 war aimed, by their own admission, at the annihilation of the tiny Jewish state just proclaimed.
These issues were not there between the years 1948 and 1967 during which time the West Bank, eastern Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip were Jew-free, "cleansed" by their Arab rulers of all the Jews who had resided there, and yet they did not, or even intended to set up their independent state there. Yet, the Arabs initiated the June 1967 Six-Day War against Israel hoping to accomplish what they couldn't in 1947-49: The total elimination of the UN member state of Israel and with it all elements of Jewish civilization of which Israel is its cradle.
To begin to overcome the core predicament the Arab leadership, Palestinian and otherwise, should state clearly, in Arabic, their acceptance of Israel's RIGHT to be, to exist as the nation-state of the Jewish people – based on League of Nations decisions, United Nations resolutions and on the universally accepted right of all peoples to national self-determination and independence, including the Jewish people - and back up their newly found conviction with a few simple deeds, actions that would demonstrate their change of heart.
This will bring with it a sea-change of attitude among Jews, within and without Israel, whose nation-state Israel is, ready to take additional risks towards an accommodation of peaceful coexistence between Arab and Jew, between Jewish Israel and its Arab neighbours, something Jews have been eager, very eager to achieve since at least the late 19th century, upon the coming about of the none violent national liberation of the Jewish people, Zionism.
Will the Arabs do so, or will they rather attempt to divert attention from the core issue of the conflict, hoping to bide time and achieve their real goal at some point in the future…??

Jehudah Ben-Israel 11:13PM November 10, 2009

First, let me say that I am not Jewish, nor Israeli, nor a fan or suporter of that country. But I do have a college degree, and, to the best of my reading, there never was, nor is a country, or ethnicity called Palestine. This term was coined by the British. Judea is the proper historic term. Palestinians are simply non-Jewish people who live in Israel, period. There is NO legal Palestinian Authority, as there is NO legal Confederate States of America. Muslims, or Arabic Muslims living in Israel are citizens of that UN recognized country. Read L. Uris's book: Haj, which accurately described the recent history of this troubled land. Also, don't forget that the Israeli government GAVE Bethelem, the most sacred Christian site to the so-called Palestinian Muslims, who now oppress the Christians still living there. See Natl. Geographic for the full story. There will NEVER be peace in the Middle East, as long as all parties want to sit in the same chair. We need to step away, and deal with nuclear rogues (Iran, North Korea). Let the Semites hash it out, Amen.

ChristmasTree of NY 7:43PM November 10, 2009

Like those who do not want their tax money supporting abortion, I also do not like my tax dollers supporting illegal settlements on occupied territory. I hope President Obama makes this clear and stands by it with action.

Jim Erwin of MI 5:50PM November 10, 2009

I believe both sides of the Israel/Palestine conflict share blame, but I have one question from the point of a US taxpayer. Why does Israel continue building settlements in territory gained from the 1967 war after the United States (their principle ally) asked them to stop? Estimates are that about $7,000-$6,000 of subsidies per Israeli citizen is funded by the US taxpayers.

Jon of WI 5:02PM November 10, 2009

Cause and effect
That is it in a nutshell.
Of course there is a right to security for all.
But can the bitter past ever be forgiven.
Can a new page be opened with no appendage of the past?
Even Yom Kipur does not do that.
As individuals, there is no problem with forgiving and try a new tack.
Try translating that into a movement and it becomes dogma which in itself is extremisme.
Let us hope for a better tomorow. To each his own input.
An there might be some peace.
David Gutholc
Ramat Hasharon
Israel

David Gutholc 2:59PM November 10, 2009

Israel made a desert green & bountiful.Their plight throughout history cannot be denied They are deserving of peace By contrast the Moslem enslaves & destroys.We must stand by Israel -period.

John of TX 2:20PM November 10, 2009

That I don't have to correct or chide an author. Great job Mr. Evans. Well written and chock full of facts - Bravo!
How unusual for U.S. News.

R.L. Schaefer of CA 12:52PM November 10, 2009

It's incredible how the Arab world can scream about the "Israeli genocide" and at the same time refuse to take in the Palestinians. Israel owes them nothing, they owe Israel. And they owe Israel big time.

Heather of WI 11:51PM November 09, 2009

Being at the receiving end of the likes of Goldstone and the UN Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly, coupled with the Qassam rockets, mortar shells, drive-by-shootings and suicide bombings in our streets, buses, universities and kindergartens that have been visiting us for many years, and the J Street type people coming from abroad to tell us - at times to verbally spit in our faces - how guilty we must feel for demanding to live in peace and security, it is refreshing, very refreshing indeed to know that at least some, as the author of this article, appreciate the reality that we have not brought upon ourselves.
Jews, within and without Israel, have been eager, very eager to achieve an accommodation of peaceful coexistence with our Arab neighbors, at least since the 19th century when the non-violent national liberation movement of the Jewish people, Zionism, set out to re-claim our ancestral homeland of Eretz Israel (Land of Israel) and re-establish Jewish sovereignty in it, based on the universally accepted right of national self-determination and independence of all peoples, including the Jewish people. Based on this right as well as the decisions taken by the League of Nations and resolutions reached by the United Nations Israel was proclaimed as the nation-state of the Jewish people.
To this day, 62 years after the UN voted to establish a "Jewish state" in the Land, no Muslim-Arab leader, Palestinian or otherwise, has been willing to accept Israel's RIGHT to be, to exist as the nation-state of the Jewish people. Arabs, after many years of denial, have come around to pronounce Israel's name and to accept the FACT that it exists, but its RIGHT to do so.
If the Arab leadership did just that, accept Israel's right to exist as the nation-state of the Jewish people, stated it in Arabic as well as Hebrew and English and backed it up with few simple acts, deeds that would demonstrate their newly found conviction, we would see a sea-change of willingness among us, Jews, to take additional risks toward a peaceful accommodation. But such an acceptance, sadly, is yet to come while the Charters of Hamas as well as Fatah continue to call, with the backing of the entire Arab League and the Organization of Islamic States, for the total annihilation of the state of Israel, by force if necessary, and the decimation of any trace of Jewish civilization in the land that is its cradle and sustainer.
This is part of the background in the reading of this article. Thus, it is heartening to know that we, the Jews of Israel, are not totally alone when we express ourselves in singing that so long as deep in the heart a Jewish soul yearns with hope of two-thousand years to be part of a free people in its land, the land of Zion and Jerusalem.

Jehudah Ben-Israel 9:22PM November 09, 2009

The truth is the people who run the Palestinean "government" do not want peace; they want war and dead Israelis and the suffering and death their policies bring to their own people matter not one bit two them. If Israel, with it's huge military superiority were to adopt the tactics of the Palestineans and use them against the Palestineans there would be very few Palestineans left in the world.

Scott of MN 8:39PM November 09, 2009