A Vision for Peace: Israel can't achieve security through military means alone.

Nearly two horrific years into the latest round in the seemingly interminable conflict between Israel and the Palestinians -- and from the perspective of my own longstanding involvement in Israel's military defense -- I have never been more convinced that there is no military solution to this conflict. As we work to defend ourselves against terror, we must also strive to return to a political process whose goal is to provide security today and hope for tomorrow for both Israelis and Palestinians. President Bush's speech yesterday, calling for fundamental change within the Palestinian Authority, is a positive step in that direction.

Peace? Every single day, Palestinian children are being taught that the Jews stole everything from them. There are no Palestinian maps with Israel on it.

You have 51% of the Palestinians who see the goal as the destruction of Israel and not just some state of their own. The Palestinian Authority translated and published Hitler’s autobiography.

You really can’t have peace or even begin to propose such a thing while the other side is attacking you. No, what this column calls for is appeasement.

Binyamin Ben Eliezer's article is shop worn, tired Labor Party Oslo crap. Its the sort of nonsense President Bush buried in the Rose Garden yesterday. Israel's Defense Minister lives in a world that has already passed him by and Israel is already implementing R&D on the ground, mocking his glowing words. His own moves as Defense Minister in sending out the army into the field and President Bush own words have forever exploded the notion any dialogue is possible with savages and barbarians. The unpleasant and blunt reality is that in this world today the Palestinians are not ready for peace with Israel on any terms. The sooner Ben Eliezer and his Labor Party adjust to the reality of a world in which Oslo is gone the better off Israel will be in dealing with an implacable and all too lethal enemy. Right now Israel has to contain the Palestinians and break the back of their murderous terror machine if it hopes to continue to survive as a nation.

How did he bury it? Everything Ben Eliezer said is completely consistent with Bush’s plan.

I agree with you that breaking the back of the PA, and it’s eventual replacement by, if not a democracy, at least a benevolent tyrant, is essential to Israel’s survival. Time will tell if this plan will create it.

IMO, this is largely a military problem and requires a reoccupation of the West Bank and Gaza, a reeducation of the population, and the creation of political institutions by an external power prior to elections. I don’t want the US there, the international community already runs the refugee camps as terrorist organizations, so that leaves Israel. Bush’s speech may well be giving Israel the time and cover to do that, time will tell.

As an aside, a 9 month hiatus of terror attacks, a retirement for Yasser, an election (I suspect the Hamas candidate wins, but Fatah will be in the running), and a couple of years of cooperation while infrastructure is built up and foreign alliances is completely consistent with the PA’s Phased Plan adopted in 1974.

You have 51% of the Palestinians who see the goal as the destruction of Israel and not just some state of their own. The Palestinian Authority translated and published Hitler’s autobiography.
You really can’t have peace or even begin to propose such a thing while the other side is attacking you. No, what this column calls for is appeasement.

I agree. A successful military phase is essential. While this is largely leftist rubbish, it is consistant with the Bush plan.

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