[Jerusalem Post] Yosef (Tommy) Lapid - Does anyone really think it is possible to reach a settlement with the Palestinians that will guarantee peace between us? How can one not see the rift among them, their inability to administer their own lives, Fatah's helplessness, Hamas' abysmal hatred, the murderousness of the popular resistance organizations, the destructive influence of radical Islam, the interference of Iran, and the belief - so deeply rooted in almost every Arab heart - that, sooner or later, Israel will disappear off the map? Even if Israel agreed to withdraw to the 1967 borders (and it doesn't); even if Israel agreed to allow the refugees to return to Israel within the 1967 borders (and it doesn't); would Hamas ever recognize the right of a Jewish state to exist in the heart of the Muslim Middle East? True, anything is possible. But not in the foreseeable future. Not in this generation. And if not the Palestinians, then radical Islam will make sure there is no peace agreement with Israel. The writer is a former Israeli cabinet minister.
2006-12-29 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive