By Josh Basson , , Seattle
Ron Kampeas’s insightful column was quite informative (“In no one’s interest,” Aug 24.)
Kampeas states that the “the Palestinian people need decent governance first, as a prerequisite for statehood” according to Rudy Giuliani. Giuliani rightly points out that “too much emphasis has been placed on brokering negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. It is not in the interest of the United States, at a time when it is being threatened by Islamists terrorists, to assist the creation of another state that will support terrorism.”
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, by not taking responsibility for Gazans’ welfare, led to Hamas’ electoral victory in 2006. Now confined to the West Bank after Hamas kicked his Fatah organization out of Gaza, Abbas has not moved to create a governmental structure. He is too weak and an ineffective leader to be a credible peace partner for Israel.
Unfortunately, there is a misconception that Israeli territorial concessions are the key to progress. The reality is that an ascendant jihadist Islam believes that it is leading the battle against Israel and the rest of the West. Given this dynamic, Israeli territorial or other concessions simply weaken Israel and embolden the jihadists, reinforcing their belief that Israel and the West are weak and can be militarily defeated.
It appears that the real problem is that many Palestinians — Fatah and Hamas in particular — and even some Israeli Arabs use “occupation” to refer to all of Israel. They do not recognize the Jewish people’s right to an independent state, a right affirmed again and again in the international arena.