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Unequal Mideast Equation

(Toronto Globe and Mail) John Moscowitz - In reality, a troubling asymmetry exists that suggests why Israeli society is significantly prepared for peace while Palestinian society is not. Israel's far left has accepted the legitimacy of the Palestinian narrative over that of the Israeli narrative. Israel's moderate left accepts the equal legitimacy of the Palestinian and Israeli narratives. The moderate right can be said to accept the right of Palestinian statehood (although it probably believes that the Israelis have something more of a right). On the far right, a small minority insists that only Israel enjoys national legitimacy. And on the Palestinian side? There are nuances among the three camps: those who believe Israel should be destroyed through violence; those who believe it should be destroyed through territorial concessions and demographic changes; and those who believe that Israel is simply too strong to be destroyed. But in none of these camps - including the third - is there an acceptance of what is normative in the vast reaches of Israeli society today: that this struggle is between two national rights, and there must ultimately be two states. To achieve peace, Israelis must recognize the national rights of the Palestinian people (at least 75% of Israelis do). But Palestinians must recognize the need for a secure, legitimate existence of a Jewish state - which arguably less than 20% of Palestinians do (and only by virtue of Israel's power). The writer is senior rabbi at Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto.
2004-02-13 00:00:00
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