[Jerusalem Post] Gerald M. Steinberg - In the modern world, the Jewish people could only survive, both physically and culturally, by regaining and maintaining national independence. Yet for the Arab and Muslem "rejectionists" (including the Iranians, who are claiming leadership of this group), the idea of Jewish sovereignty in the "Muslem Middle East" remains unacceptable. This fundamental conflict, and not differences over borders, post-1967 settlements and occupation, is the core of the conflict and has led to the wars of aggression and mass terror attacks against Israel. Progress towards the acceptance of Jewish sovereignty among the nations of the world is painfully slow, and the struggle will continue to be exhausting. But there are no better choices - there are no alternatives for Israel and the Jewish people. The writer is the Executive Director of NGO Monitor and chairman of the Political Studies Department at Bar-Ilan University.
2008-05-07 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive