Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., November 22, 2007 Kislev 12, 5768 | | Israel Time: 15:34 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Rosner's Domain
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Advertising
Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Magazine Week's End Anglo File
del.icio.us
Digg It!  new
Last update - 09:09 21/11/2007
Peace is not child's play
By Akiva Eldar
Tags: Annapolis, Ehud Olmert

Foreign diplomats who meet with the prime minister get the impression that Ehud Olmert understands that reaching an agreement with the Palestinians is a vital Israeli interest. Israeli peace activists leave Olmert's residence with the feeling that if it were not for his dependence on Kadima's large contingent of ex-Likudniks and on hawkish coalition partners like Avigdor Lieberman and Eli Yishai, Olmert would be able to return from Annapolis with a framework for a peace agreement. Even those "carriers of Yitzhak Rabin's legacy" in the Labor Party, including President Shimon Peres, are not going out of their way to assist him.

But how does all this conform with the demand that the PLO recognize Israel as a Jewish state? Why has Olmert knowingly stumbled into this quagmire? Does he believe that Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas should give up this bargaining chip even before the start of negotiations over the core issues? And if Olmert does believe this, is he willing to give Abbas something of equal value in exchange? Or does he expect Abbas to agree to this merely in exchange for Israel's willingness to pick up the talks exactly where they began over seven years ago? This demand is reminiscent of the precondition Israel made to Syria: that it commit to severing its ties with Iran and deport Hamas leader Khaled Meshal from Damascus in return for Israel's willingness to talk - while Israel would continue to encourage Jewish settlements in the Golan Heights.

Professor Yehezkel Dror recently wrote that conditioning talks with Damascus on Syrian actions such as terminating all support for terror organizations would only be justified if there were reason to believe the other side would agree to meet that condition, or if negotiations before that condition were met would encourage hostilities against Israel. "In the absence of evidence supporting these views, it would be better not to set preconditions, but to direct the talks themselves at fulfilling these conditions," Dror wrote. "Another option would be to engage in informal talks."
Advertisement
Dror also said that "the government as a whole, and each of its members individually, hastily decided on an overly harsh military response without receiving data and evaluations to clarify the ramifications and consequences of their decision." He said the government and each of its members "acted without the necessary judgment, caution and responsibility" (page 124 of the Winograd Committee's interim report on the Second Lebanon War).

Discussions with people familiar with the preparations for the Annapolis summit reveal that the decision to get on the high horse of conditioning talks with the Palestinians on their willingness to recognize Israel as a Jewish state was made with the same haste Olmert's cabinet decided on the large-scale military operation in Lebanon. Cabinet members requested no analyses of the likelihood that the Palestinians would accept this demand, or of the likelihood that such a demand would cause the summit to fail. The demand was placed on the table without any discussion of the consequences that the summit's failure could have on the life expectancy of the Palestinian bloc that favors a two-state solution. Khaled Meshal has already said that while the moderate Arab leaders are dining at U.S. President George W. Bush's table, Hamas will remind Muslims of the children of Gaza, who are forced to survive on water and pita.

And what will happen in another month or two, when it becomes clear that Lieberman and Yishai are serious about their threats? Has Olmert taken into account the possibility that should his government walk out of the negotiations, or collapse while conducting them, Israel would suffer two painful blows? Not only would it lose its Palestinian partner - possibly the last one - for a two-state solution, but it would also expose itself as a non-partner for a peace agreement based on the international consensus and the principles of the Arab peace initiative.

Initiating diplomatic negotiations, like going to war, is not child's play. With a nod to Carl von Clausewitz's observation that war is a continuation of diplomacy by other means, one could say that the failure of diplomacy is liable to lead to other forms of war.

Just as he does in war, a leader must plan an exit strategy before launching a peace process. If Olmert does not believe that he has the political strength to implement a fateful move of Ben-Gurionesque proportions, as he himself has termed it, then he must be prepared to promptly go to the people and ask them to decide what kind of country they wish to live in.
Bookmark to del.icio.us
Radical redcoats
U.K. radical left wing is calling for a one-state solution.
Bush goes nuts
U.S. demands Israel halts illegal Iranian pistachio imports.
  1.   Another Episode of Eldar`s Self-Delusional Tales 06:30  |  Tod Zuckerman 21/11/07
  2.   We Jews, and the Jewish citizens of the state of Israel, don`t 09:21  |  Avihu 21/11/07
  3.   ISRAEL SECOND LINE OF DEFEND: "JEWISH STATE" DEMAND 09:30  |  indrajaya 21/11/07
  4.   recognition of Israel as the Jewish state 09:37  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 21/11/07
  5.   rarely do i agree with eldar 09:41  |  joe 21/11/07
  6.   the crap of an appeaser reiterated again 09:41  |  victor hardman 21/11/07
  7.   What is a Jewish state? 09:42  |  Dany 21/11/07
  8.   Right-wing Israel will make Israeli children cry 09:53  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/11/07
  9.   Israles love of "preconditions" 10:00  |  Natallie Durson 21/11/07
  10.   intellectual dishonesty 10:05  |  ron 21/11/07
  11.   Superb, vital Eldar article for peace to succeed 10:08  |  Ivar 21/11/07
  12.   It must be clear to posters, and it should be clear to Eldar: 10:13  |  Avihu 21/11/07
  13.   a "Jewish" state ? 10:24  |  someoldyid 21/11/07
  14.   Egypt did not have a problem. Neither Jordan. Why the Palestinian 10:29  |  Robert 21/11/07
  15.   Eldar`s Hypoctrical Amnesia 10:31  |  Shalom Freedman 21/11/07
  16.   #9 You got it all wrong, Natalie and you know it! 10:33  |  Daniel 21/11/07
  17.   NDURSON.You do not want to be recognised as a Pal state? 10:34  |  PETER S.M. 21/11/07
  18.   Eldar says we wasted our time 10:44  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 21/11/07
  19.   #3 PALESTINIAN DEFENSE: IF WE RECOGNIZE ISRAEL HAMAS WILL KILL US 10:47  |  George Ben 21/11/07
  20.   israel ,international law,occupation,obligation 11:38  |  who will rid us 21/11/07
  21.   # 19, GEORGE BEN 11:40  |  indrajaya 21/11/07
  22.   #4 Now might be a very good time, Cipora.... 11:56  |  Johnboy 21/11/07
  23.   this troublesome priest 12:15  |  thomas a becket 21/11/07
  24.   HYPOCRITES! Jews MUST SAY U.S. Is A CHRISTIAN State, Etc.! 12:32  |  Proud Pal Defender 21/11/07
  25.   #9 Natallie Durson 12:47  |  Daybreak 21/11/07
  26.   #5 joe 12:58  |  Boycott 21/11/07
  27.   DEMAND WAS MADE 60 YEARS TOO HASTILY!! - WHAT FOOLISHNESS 13:05  |  Ben 21/11/07
  28.   Avihu regarding your two posts 13:18  |  Niva 21/11/07
  29.   To Proud Pal Defender 13:26  |  Bernard Bienstock 21/11/07
  30.   Objectivity is the prerequisit for constructive solution 13:34  |  Max the Horoscope 21/11/07
  31.   Boycott 13:35  |  Justicia 21/11/07
  32.   This is hilarious really 14:19  |  Rowan Berkeley 21/11/07
  33.   Who Needs Recognition? 14:24  |  Jane 21/11/07
  34.   The meaning of a Jewish State. 14:25  |  Hubal 21/11/07
  35.   Finally.... 14:34  |  Tess 21/11/07
  36.   #34 Hubal 14:47  |  Daybreak 21/11/07
  37.   #35 Tess 14:57  |  Daybreak 21/11/07
  38.   "JEWISH STATE" = RACIST STATE 15:03  |  Powerful Israeli 21/11/07
  39.   # 35, TESS 15:12  |  indrajaya 21/11/07
  40.   Understanding Olmert 15:16  |  Tosefta 21/11/07
  41.   To the stupid (non)powerful Israeli #38 15:32  |  Hastaroth 21/11/07
  42.   Peace is not child`s play neither is it an excuse 15:51  |  Max Zinger,P.Chimist 21/11/07
  43.   Really Daybreak... 16:06  |  Tess 21/11/07
  44.   #36 Daybreak. You want it both ways? 16:37  |  Hubal 21/11/07
  45.   United ARAB Republic 16:48  |  dan 21/11/07
  46.   Recognizing the Jewish State 16:59  |  Omar 21/11/07
  47.   Peace with Strength is the Only Road to Peace 16:59  |  Joe 21/11/07
  48.   Jane - Who needs recognition? 17:11  |  john 21/11/07
  49.   Proud Pal DEffender Who paid 17:45  |  Tobia 21/11/07
  50.   Iran and Pakistan, "Islamic states" 18:06  |  Paul 21/11/07
  51.   childish stupidity... 18:12  |  ravi 21/11/07
  52.   How should Haaretz deal with Slowman? 18:22  |  Akiva Eldar 21/11/07
  53.   Understanding Olmert 19:00  |  Tosefta 21/11/07
  54.   Stop comparing with other states 19:03  |  Omar 21/11/07
  55.   John-I Believe the Muslims will NEVER Accept the Jewish State 19:08  |  Jane 21/11/07
  56.   #39 Hubal 19:08  |  Daybreak 21/11/07
  57.   Indrajaya #39.. 19:20  |  Tess 21/11/07
  58.   #57 Tess 19:34  |  Daybreak 21/11/07
  59.   Akiva Eldar goes for Arab Prizes hence he cannot recognize Israel 19:38  |  Genuine Tosefta 21/11/07
  60.   Akiva Eldar is going for another "excellence" in journalism prize 19:40  |  Genuine Tosefta 21/11/07
  61.   Daybreak #56 19:56  |  Hubal 21/11/07
  62.   #14 Egypt and Jordan did not have a problem 19:58  |  Rebekah S 21/11/07
  63.   Omar: comparisons are odious 20:20  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 21/11/07
  64.   14 Robert of San Jose - Not True 20:48  |  Mark of Lewiston 21/11/07
  65.   #55 Jane 20:52  |  tbora 21/11/07
  66.   #21 Indrajaya: Have you forgotten Intifada 1 and 2? 21:04  |  George Ben 21/11/07
  67.   Wisdom for Slowman the lazy bum 21:15  |  Akiva Eldar 21/11/07
  68.   #52 Akiva Eldar-Slowman? 21:22  |  Hubal 21/11/07
  69.   Will Israel Recognize E. Jerusalem, WB and Gaza as a Muslim State 21:41  |  M 21/11/07
  70.   Rubbing their nose in it 21:42  |  Don 21/11/07
  71.   Will Israel Recognize E. Jerusalem, WB and Gaza as a Muslim State 22:04  |  Mr. Knowitall 21/11/07
  72.   Don humiliation is far from Israel`s agenda 22:08  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 21/11/07
  73.   Poor tbora 22:12  |  Israeli 21/11/07
  74.   #61 Hubal 22:23  |  Daybreak 21/11/07
  75.   #71 more from frostbite on stupidity in posts 22:28  |  victor hardman 21/11/07
  76.   Exchange Ghastly Impostor #53 with Shalit, to teach her a lesson 22:28  |  Genuine Tosefta 21/11/07
  77.   Hubal Part 2 22:33  |  Daybreak 21/11/07
  78.   Israel recognizes 60+ Muslim Countries, enough is enough 22:41  |  Genuine Tosefta 21/11/07
  79.   KnownothingIsrael recognizes 60+Muslim Countries,enough is enough 22:44  |  Genuine Tosefta 21/11/07
  80.   Daybreak #58 22:49  |  Tess