From: bval@ilws61 (Valentine Bob)
Newsgroups: talk.politics.mideast
Subject: Israel Cancels Building in the West Bank
Date: 27 Jul 92 06:36:49 GMT
Organization: Intel
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL4

As Israel has cancelled MOST contracts and activities on the West Bank
the question comes up about whether the Arab boycott should be lifted
as a reciprocal good will gesture.

Lets remember that the boycott began in 1946 to help prevent the formation
of a Jewish state and has nothing to do with the 67 war. The 67 war is
theoretically what any negotiations on the West Bank / Gaza about. 

But yes, they should lift (at least) MOST of it as a reciprocal gesture, 
if for no other reason than Arab "acceptance" of a two state solution
means that it isn't 1946 anymore, right?

I am a new immigrant to Israel, and never had to suffer Katyushas from
Lebanon, Scuds from Iraq, sniping from the Golan Heights or any of the
invasions or prevented invasions (or adventures) in the past. Nor am I
a Jew, and so I have no personal losses in the Holocaust.

And so I apologize to the Israelis and Jews and grant them there right
to disagree with my next few paragraphs.

I believe that Israel must take the risk that

	the Arabs/Palestinians ARE willing to accept a two state solution 

	a two state solution may contribute to peace.

The motivation is that peace, of nearly any sort, is better than the current
status quo. The following position is probably only a little further, a
little faster than the present government would go.

	
Simply,

	unilateral pull-out from West Bank / Gaza and
	allow a demilitarized Palestinian state in West Bank / Gaza
		[economic details to be worked out
		 67 borders modified for defensibility
		 Jerusalem not negotiable]

	negotiate pullout from Southern Lebanon OR
	BELIEVE that the Syrian-Iranian backed "resistance" REALLY IS
	a "resistance" and UNILATERALLY pull-out of Southern Lebanon
	(which may not make my
	in-laws happy who have suffered Katyushas and incursions from
	Lebanon)

	Negotiate the Golan Heights (say lease for 99 years, which the
	Syrians rejected, but, maybe I won't go so far as to say "trust
	Assad")

And the risk is that someones going to act up and Israel will have to lose
more soldiers in reclaiming these areas. And then the world will get excited
about Israel expansionism or some foolishness. That, unfortunately, is the 
risk.

It would help if the Arabs did make some gesture. (Arafat accepting 242
sometimes while not changing the PLO covenant is no more kissing Israels
ass as Israels looking the other way when the negotiators meet with
Arafat while not recognizing the PLO as "sole representative" is kissing 
the Palestinians ass.)

What would be a nice gesture?

	Repeal of the PLO covenant.

	Lifting of the boycott.

	Ending the Intifadah (although, since it is now basically a power
	struggle between factions who wish to rule after the peace talks
	this may be impossible.)

	Serious negotiations on Southern Lebanon (yes, they took away the
	guns from the PLO, but gave them to Hezbollah.)

The U.S. got enough for the loan gaurantees. Israel has stayed out of the
the U.S. Iraq/Kuwait adventure and preserved the Holy Coalition. Israel
dumped Shamir. Therefor, this is in no way a payment for settlement freeze. 

The missing piece in all of this are the Palestinians. Whether one thinks
the Palestinians have been a nation for a millenium or not, or whether one
believes Palstine is in Jordan or not, the point of the Intifadah is that
it shows that there IS a Palestinian nation in the West Bank and Gaza RIGHT
THIS MINUTE.

And if any nation deserves a country, then this one does as well. Israel
risks more in doing this than other
nations are asked to who are suppressing there insurrections in a bloodier
manner. But that doesn't change what is right. And the
the global concern over THIS population IS probably motivate more by
anti-semitism, than by any attempt at justice, but that doesn't change what
is right either.

Israel must do the right thing not for the world, but for its own
concience. And being occupiers, suppressors and oppressors is not the right
thing.

Enough.

Bob