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Palestinians Seek to Overturn UN Resolution 242

[Jerusalem Post] Editorial - The Palestinian idea of negotiations goes something like this: Agree to our position in its entirety and then we can talk about the modalities of implementation. Lo and behold, this approach has not borne fruit so a frustrated PLO may turn to the UN Security Council to ask it to impose Palestinian demands on Israel. The Palestinians created an artificial deadlock by suddenly insisting that they would not negotiate without a settlement freeze. The Palestinians want the UN Security Council to, in effect, junk Resolution 242 - the edifice upon which the entire peacemaking process is constructed - and give its imprimatur to a new Palestinian declaration of independence claiming 100% of the West Bank and Gaza plus all of east Jerusalem including the Jewish holy sites. Resolution 242's masterfully crafted language insists on an exchange of land for peace using the formula - "withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict" - that deliberately does not call for a pullback from all territories. So rather than bargain in good faith to build a viable accord, the Palestinians are betting on an outside imposed solution. This way will not bring reconciliation, mutual security and peace, but doom yet another generation of Israelis and Palestinians to more bloodshed. Would it not be better if the Palestinians returned to the bargaining table - and the sooner the better?
2009-11-19 06:00:00
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