Christina

"Palestine Peace not Apartheid", Jimmy Carter


Obstacles to peace in the Middle East:
1. "Some Israelis believe they have the right to
confiscate and colonize Arab land
2. Some Palestinians react by honoring suicide
bombers as martyrs... and consider the killing
of Israelis as victories. In turn, Israel responds
with retribution and oppression, and militant
Palestinians refuse to recognize the legitimacy
of Israel and vow to destroy the nation."
3. Submissive White House and Congress that
defer to neoconservative elements who believe
that "what's good for Israel is good for the U.S.".
for example:
-Hamas took majority control over the parliament
and the cabinet in the 2006 Palestinian elections-
Israel and U.S. reacted by trying to "isolate and
destabilize" the government with tactics such as
denying politicians travel permits, isolating Gaza,
blocking humanitarian aid to Palestine, etc.


The Roadmap for Peace, as articulated by the
International Quartet (U.S., Russia, UN, and
European Union):

a. "The security of Israel must be guaranteed."
- The Arab world must recognize the
legitimacy of Israel
- terrorist and military action against Israel
must cease
b. Israel must agree to withdraw from territories
until 1967 borders have been re-established, as
specified by UN Resolution 242.
c. The sovereignty of all Middle Eastern nations
must be honored.
- "In order to perpetuate the occupation,
Israeli forces have deprived their unwilling
subjects of basic human rights."

Two State solution plan for peace:
1967 borders, dismantlement of settlements,
shared use of Jerusalem, demilitarization of
Gaza and West Bank.

Public Opinion and a Two State Solution
As Jimmy Carter states, "Political leaders are the
obstacles to peace." Public opinion surveys in the
region show that:
- 80% of Palestinians want a two state solution
70% endorse Mahmoud Abbas, a moderate
- A majority of Israelis favor a "land for peace"
solution in which Israel withdraws from Palestinian
territory in exchange for peace.

- In 2006, two influential leaders from Fatah and
Hamas joined together in an Israeli prison and
publicly endorsed a two-state proposal articulating
the following points:
a. a unity government should be formed
between Hamas and the PLO
b. release of all political prisoners
c. recognition of Israel, with 1967 borders
d. end of terrorism within Israel (but not
Palestinian territory)
President Abbas proposed a referendum based on
this proposal, which met with 77% approval by
the Palestinian public and was accepted by both
Hamas and Fatah. This is a monumental
achievement because it means that Hamas, Fatah,
and the public can all agree on the same solution,
but it means little if Israel isn't open to dialogue.