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When Will the Arab World Internalize that Israel Is Here to Stay?
(Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs) Ron Prosor - Israel's UN Ambassador Ron Prosor told the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, the 64th anniversary of the UN Partition Resolution: "On Nov. 29, 1947, the UN voted to partition then British-Mandate Palestine into two states: one Jewish, one Arab. Two states for two peoples. The Jewish population accepted that plan and declared a new state in its ancient homeland. It reflected the Zionist conviction that it was both necessary and possible to live in peace with our neighbors in the land of our forefathers. The Arab inhabitants rejected the plan and launched a war of annihilation against the new Jewish state, joined by the armies of five Arab members of the UN." "1% of Israel's population died during this assault by five armies. Think about that price. It would be the equivalent of 650,000 dying in France today, or 3 million dying in the U.S., or 13 million dying in China. As a result of the war, there were Arabs who became refugees. A similar number of Jews, who lived in Arab countries, were forced to flee their homes as well. They, too, became refugees. The difference between these two distinct populations was - and still is - that Israel absorbed the refugees into our society. Our neighbors did not." "The basic question underlying our conflict for 64 years has not changed. Has the Arab world - and particularly the Palestinians - internalized that Israel is here to stay and will remain the nation-state of the Jewish people?"