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Halevy: A Palestinian State Won't Succeed If It's Built by Outsiders

(Macleans-Canada) Yoni Goldstein - Efraim Halevy, former head of the Mossad, Israel's national intelligence agency, said in an interview: "Peace between Israel and the Palestinians hinges on the Palestinians proving the capability of nationhood. I don't think that nationhood can be thrust upon the Palestinians from without. A nation has to be built from within - and it has to be purely Palestinians who create and build their own nation." "The way things are at the moment, the Palestinians are not creating their own nation. The nation is being created from without. The United States is training their military forces; Tony Blair is chaperoning them and helping them build their economic and political institutions; the European Union is helping in other fields. In other words, what is being done is the Palestinian nation is being built with outside help. This, I think, cannot succeed....I think it is in Israel's interest that there should be a Palestinian people that is capable of sustaining a Palestinian state. But what has been going on in recent years is not very encouraging." "I am sure that President Obama recognizes - and I know that he recognizes - that Israel is a very valuable and important partner in most of the endeavors that the U.S. is involved in globally....We are a point of sanity, of democracy, of capability, of devotion. We have common values and aims that transcend one kind of an administration or another. And I know Obama respects this."
2009-12-25 08:18:34
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