My Letter to the NYTimes RE Land First, Then Peace & Unsettled- Resolve of West Bank Settlers May Have Limits

RE: Unsettled- Resolve of West Bank Settlers May Have Limits
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/14/world/middleeast/14settlers.html?ref=world
Land First, Then Peace by By TURKI al-FAISAL Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/opinion/13turki.html?_r=1&ref=opinion

Dear Editor,

Yesterday you published Land First, Then Peace by TURKI al-FAISAL Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States, and today you follow it up with the in depth news story "Unsettled- Resolve of West Bank Settlers May Have Limits". I do very much hope, for everyone's sake, that this trend continues with many serious efforts being made to once and for all end the Israel/Palestine conflict.

Numerous academics in America have promoted the idea of a one state "solution". That is certainly an inspiring fantasy- but is it really a good idea ... does it really help Palestine?

Jimmy Carter wisely pointed out in a recent op-ed ( The Washington Post Sept 9 2009) that the one state agenda "is obviously the goal of Israeli leaders who insist on colonizing the West Bank and East Jerusalem." The Elders' View Of the Middle East http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/04/AR2009090402968.html

Senior Fellow at the American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) and Executive Director of the Hala Salaam Maksoud Foundation for Arab-American Leadership, and author of the book What’s Wrong with the One-State Agenda? Why Ending the Occupation and Peace with Israel is Still the Palestinian National Goal Hussein Ibish patiently explains on his Ibishblog, "More generally, the one-state agenda reflects the widespread conclusion that Israel will never agree to seriously end the occupation and allow for the creation of a fully sovereign, viable Palestinian state, and that therefore negotiations and diplomacy are pointless." http://www.ibishblog.com/blog/hibish/2009/09/10/text_my_prepared_remarks_wilson_center_panel_my_new_book

I believe that negotiations and diplomacy are crucial, because the only other option is escalating injustice and violence. Let there be peace- and accountability.... As the beloved Christmas Carol reminds us all: "Let peace begin with me."

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab