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Source: http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-ayalon-peace-talks-20101214,0,7821811.story?track=rss
Who's Stopping the Peace Process?
(Los Angeles Times) Danny Ayalon - The present Israeli government has accepted the principle of a two-states-for-two-peoples solution. Israel has contributed to the improvement of the lives of Palestinians to the point where the West Bank's economic growth is greater than almost anywhere in the world; it has removed more than two-thirds of all security checkpoints. Isn't it time that the Palestinians are asked if they are prepared to make any concessions? Are they prepared to recognize Israel as a Jewish state and the Jewish connection to the Western Wall and Temple Mount? Are they prepared to recognize that there were Jewish refugees from Arab states, and that Israel has very real security concerns? While the Palestinians and their supporters wail that the settlements are eating up more of the land they claim for their future state, the real figures suggest otherwise. Today, the built-up areas of the settlements constitute less than 1.7% of the total area. A negotiated solution is the only way to achieve a peaceful and historic reconciliation between Jews and Arabs, Israelis and Palestinians. Both sides need to make concessions, and Israel has made many. Pressure should be brought to bear on those who refuse to arrive at the negotiating table, not on those already seated. The writer is Israel's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.