Republished from Aish.com
Written by Dr. Shmuel Katz
Dear Member of Knesset,
We are currently involved in high level contacts to formulate a peace plan for the Middle East.
A comprehensive agreement will benefit the entire world. But unfortunately it is not easy to achieve, given the highly complex dynamics in the region and beyond.
Please consider the following points when navigating this process.
1) If you disseminate a long list of reasons why Israel will lose if the peace process is delayed, you may convince the enemies of peace to wait without any need to accommodate any of Israel’s needs. The Palestinians and the Arab neighbors must understand that they have a lot to gain from a durable peace, and a lot to lose from a region in turmoil.
2) If you support the immediate creation of an independent Palestinian state – without first eliminating the terror infrastructure, without implementing education for peace, and without the removal of vicious anti-Israeli propaganda in the schools and media – then the Palestinian population and leadership will not proceed toward a serious peace agreement.
I spoke to Dennis Ross, just after the failure of the Oslo Accord, and he told me that one of the most important reasons for the failure of the peace process was the lack of preparation of the Arab street, by their leadership, to agree to peace.
3) Should the Palestinians achieve an independent state without a peace agreement with Israel, all the forces of evil (Iran, Syria, Hamas, Hezbollah and Turkey, to name a few) will be delighted to use that territory to expand malicious plans against Israel and the free world.
4) A serious educational effort must precede any relinquishing of land, to explain the true historical facts as they relate to occupation, refugees and the rights of the Jews in the region. Once those in the region and around the world understand Israel’s just cause, they will respect Israel’s willingness to make real sacrifices for a true peace, and will support the Israeli demand for security measurements.
