Lieberman is right: Peace in two years is unrealistic
The signing of a permanent status agreement will do little to end the Israeli-Arab conflict.
By Aluf Benn Tags: Israel Foreign Ministry Israel news Palestinians Avigdor LiebermanForeign Minister Avigdor Lieberman is right: During the next two years Israel will not reach a permanent status agreement with the Palestinians. Lieberman is also right in the importance he attributes to national honor. Like the foreign minister, I, too, get annoyed when my country is attacked in the foreign media, and I am proud of Israelis who win the Nobel Prize or Olympic medals.
It is possible to interpret Lieberman's seasonal headline attack as needling of his political rival and partner Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Lieberman depicts Netanyahu as a fool mesmerized by the deceptive charms of "renewing the diplomatic negotiations," and as a dishrag whose trips to Egypt manifest "national fawning and self-abasement" before President Hosni Mubarak, who refuses to visit Israel. And maybe it is just the frustration of a grounded foreign minister.
But Lieberman's remarks are no mere curiosity. They express a deep truth: The Israeli-Arab conflict has continued since the dawn of Zionism and is not going to end quickly, not even with the signing of a permanent status agreement. This is not a unique phenomenon: The establishment of new states arouses multi-generational conflicts. The unification of Germany took 120 years and entailed a major regional war, two world wars, occupation and a cold war. The partition of India in 1947 was accompanied by great violence, which continues to this day in Kashmir. In the Balkans, Ireland and Cyprus, too, there are no permanent solutions.
If this is the case, what conclusion can be drawn from Lieberman and his colleagues on the right, who are preaching determined steadfastness. Israel must refrain from any territorial concession, convince the world that the settlements in the territories are legal and the Arabs are bad, and parry every bit of criticism with a counter-imprecation and the preaching of morality.
It is a fact, they say, that we have tried "the left's solutions" from Oslo through Camp David, the disengagement and Annapolis, and we have not achieved peace. Let's change our approach and disabuse ourselves of illusions until the world is convinced and our control over the West Bank and East Jerusalem is perpetuated.
The right's approach ignores Israel's size and position in the family of nations. Israel is not a superpower like Russia or China, nor is it an isolated fortress state like North Korea - and even they are dependent on other countries. Israel is highly dependent: Its economy relies on exports and investments from abroad, its citizens love foreign travel and its security is based on military and diplomatic support from the United States (and in the past from the Soviet Union and France).
In return, "the world" expects Israel to draw back into recognized borders and minimize the friction with its neighbors. The world does not care that more Muslims are killed by other Muslims than by Jews.
The Israeli-Arab peace process, which started after the Yom Kippur War, did not end the conflict, nor has a new Middle East been established. The violence has not abated and thousands of new victims have been added to cemeteries in Israel, the territories, Lebanon, Syria and even Sudan.
But the test of results is not binary - either "the end of the conflict and the demands" or giving up and eternal war. Life is gray.
The peace process, more than any other factor, gave Israelis access to markets and tourism sites abroad, connected the Israeli economy to the global economy and led to Israel's gradual acceptance as a legitimate neighbor in the Middle East. This is not a linear process, rather a complex dance of forward-and-back steps.
Netanyahu's frequent trips to Cairo serve the Israeli interest even without return visits by Mubarak. Netanyahu does not believe in a faster permanent status agreement than the foreign minister. However, like his predecessors as prime minister, he realizes that Israel's fate depends on its "strength and justness," as David Ben-Gurion said, and he knows these are relative and not absolute terms.
A country's strength is measured in comparison to its foes, and its justness is determined in the international mind. Israel has weakened because of Iran's strengthening, and its justness has been undermined because of Operation Cast Lead and the settlements.
Lieberman is right in his assessment of the situation and wrong in his conclusion: Precisely because the conflict continues, Israel needs recognition and support - and therefore it must mollify the world and gradually move forward in the peace process instead of unnecessarily irritating the gentiles.
|
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman. |
| Photo by: (Reuters) |
Why Facebook Connect?
Comment on Haaretz.com articles with your Facebook login, and share your thoughts on your own wall.
- Latest
- Most Viewed
- Most Rated
- Open all
Prime Minister Netanyahu has the most difficult task of any leader in the world. For no other nation is threateneded with destruction , no other nation villified unfairly as Israel.Preventing Israel's isolation is a first interest of the State. Thus while Leiberman may be right about the record of many of our alleged friends, he is wrong in blaming Bibi for trying to deal with them, and bring them closer.
"instead of unnecessarily irritating the gentiles". Even though Benn's assessment is for the most part right, his conclusion perpetuates the ghetto mentality. A much stronger stance is necessary against Europe: Europe is not in a position to preach to Israel about the settlements, as long as the Europeans keep their own colonies and independent territories.And even though no comparison can be made, even the US cannot preach to Israel, before their return the land to the Native Americans. Only Lieberman, as a PM, will be strong enough to say this. Bibi is too weak.Peace in the ME would be great, but impossible until the pals get to their senses.
I am happy to see that Mr Benn has assessed the situation and has reached conclusions of the veracity and indepth comprehension, of the accuracy of Liberman's views. However , on the other side , claims Mr Liberman's conclusions are wrong. Aluf Benn is also right with that- however , from there to do what netanya is doing with no self respect or honor for his country - the way is very long and far Netanyahu should not be begging evryone to beseech Abbas to talk to him . Abbas should be begging to talk to Netanyahu. When Obama says he doesn't have time to meet or send him small station wagon , and meets in a side room- Netanyahu should say - well he is too busy to meet at this late hour, maybe next time. And when Sarkozy says deroagtory remarks regarding his FM, he should give his FM his support and rebuke Sarkozy for meddling in internal Israeli business.
Aluf Benn makes a good point in remarking the reality of Israel's power in the world context. Russia can simply overcome and annex Chechnia by force and give Chechnians citizenship. China can do the same with Tibet. The world will protest, but these two super nuclear powers can put up with sanctions and condemnation. The rest of the world cannot boycott them, nor go to war against them. Israel can't play that game, she can't overcome and annex the WB & G (or big chunks of them) by force and give Palestinians citizenship. Israel depends too much on the USA (even if some right wingers fantasize that she doesn't). In colloquial speech: a bear or a tiger (China or Russia) can eat a mouse without complications, but a mouse (Israel) cannot eat another mouse because its entrails would burst.
Aluf Ben is correct, but his conclusion is also incorrect. While I agee that we need International support & recognition, this is tue up to a point. The world will hate no matter what we do, but stil we have some obligations. Fair enough. However, there is a point where we have to the world. "Thank you. But we will survive & live whether you like our actions or not". We are not a puupet of the US or the world. We cannot rely on favors from the world community. This will be suicide. I prefer to be a hated Jew than a dead Jew. Botton line is we we do what we truly believe is right, then the world community will respect us. Ultimately, we survive by the grace of God not the world community.
... if peace-breaks-out tomorrow, he'll oppose it vigorously...
But on the other hand, if Minister Lieberman or his like remains in government, not two years and twenty or two hundred years will be sufficient for Israel to accustom itself to suppose that peace is feasible or worth while.
otherwise it's simply a negotiated peace agreement based on U.N. Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338, which concerns the boundaries of the 1967 borders with adjustments, sharing Jerusalem and finding a resolution to concerns of the Palestinian refugees. All these core issues were never completely attributed in territorial compromise in any peace proposal of the past. PM Olmert's proposition in 2008 surpassed that of Camp David 2000 but not negotiated to finalized liking by either side - came close though. It's really up to Israel more than any other party I would think, but accommodations by the Palestinians would also be helpful, eg. understanding the security concerns Israel faces.
but is really true that Israel can not survive without any help from others?
Peace is presently impossible between Israel and the Palestinians. Israel will never agree to a fair peace, and, even if the Palestinians were pressured to accept pro-Israeli terms, the militants, as well as future generations would never accept it, nor should they. It will take a very damaging war with the prospect of more to come to interest Israel in real peace making. There is some potential for this in the next year or two, but even if it doesn't pan out, it will happen eventually.