By Bruce S. Ticker
PHILADELPHIA — Who really broke the deal?
Granted, Israel’s conditions for a peace settlement appear to be a sure deal-breaker.
Israeli negotiators notified their Arab counterparts on Wednesday, Jan. 25, that as a guiding principle existing settlement blocs must become part of Israel in a two-state solution, The New York Times reported.
Huh? Many settlements are ensconced in Jerusalem’s West Bank suburbs, but others are distributed throughout the West Bank. Arab leaders must wonder, legitimately, how they can possibly govern an independent state with all those settlements creating a geographic obstacle course. Will Israel continue to maintain separate highways for Jews?
Sounds absurd. Who do we blame? The Netanyahu administration? The Israeli people for installing a right-wing government?
Arabs who live in Israeli territories need only look in the mirror. They accepted Yasser Arafat as their leader and voted for him in an election. They even revered him in death despite disclosure that he squandered $6 billion, much of it never found.
Arafat was offered an independent state that would comprise Gaza, East Jerusalem and more than 90 percent of the West Bank – roughly the maximum that Israel could give up. It was about all the Arabs needed, even if they wanted more.
The 2000 proposal, presented to Arafat at Camp David, was prepared by American negotiators with the cooperation of then-Prime Minister Ehud Barak, one of Israel’s most liberal leaders.
Back on the West Bank, some settlers appeared to be resigned to leaving their communities for Israel proper. I recall reading of this in an Israeli publication.
The stars had aligned for the Arabs. Their leader clearly had a partner for peace in Israel’s prime minister; an American president who knocked himself out to reconcile the two sides; a realistic deal that would benefit the Arabs; and a chance for a relatively smooth transition.
The 2000 Camp David summit was the best opportunity the Arabs ever had for a peace settlement. Sometime between then and now, a C-Span host posed this question: Will there ever be peace in the Middle East? It was one of their dumber questions, considering that conditions there are perpetually undermined. The correct answer: At this rate, not a chance.
The Arabs decimated their chances for a decent pact after 2000. They launched or provoked three wars, they rebuffed a second peace proposal, they have repeatedly threatened Israel, they have persisted in building a weapons arsenal along Gaza and Lebanon’s borders and they have done their utmost to offend the sensibilities of Israelis, Diaspora Jews and all other supporters of Israel.
They drove Israeli voters into the arms of right-wing political parties and hardened the resolve of current settlement residents.
The Arabs broke the deal long ago.
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Ticker is Philadelphia bureau chief for San Diego Jewish World.. He may be contacted at bruce.ticker@sdjewishworld.com