My online comment RE Settling for Failure in the Middle East by Stephen M. Walt in the Washington Post

RE: Settling for Failure in the Middle East by Stephen M. Walt
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/18/AR2009091801146.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/18/AR2009091801146_Comments.html

Dear Editor,

Many seek to sabotage and undermine peace and progress in the Middle East. I'd rather not. I'd rather err on the side of hope- and a realistic call to end the religious extremism and terrorism created in and by the Arab/Israel conflict.

Stephen M. Walt did all involved a huge favor with his revealing book "The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy". It is good of him to step up now too, with a plea to get people to pressure Israel to stop oppressing and displacing Palestinians.

Walt points out that there is "a new pro-Israel organization, J Street, which is committed to the two-state solution and firmly behind Obama." To be fair, I wish he had also pointed out that there is a serious and very professional pro-Palestine organization which is very much committed to the two-state solution and firmly behind Obama: The American Task for for Palestine, founded in 2003 to provide "an independent voice for Palestinian-Americans and their supporters and to promote peace."

According to their very informative website the "ATFP is strictly opposed to all acts of violence against civilians no matter the cause and no matter who the victims or perpetrators may be. The Task Force advocates the development of a Palestinian state that is democratic, pluralistic, non-militarized and neutral in armed conflicts." http://www.americantaskforce.org/

ATFP's founder, Ziad Asali, a Palestinian who was born in Jerusalem recently said : "The developing American and international consensus regarding the two-state solution has fundamentally transformed the Palestinian-Israeli conflict from a zero-sum equation to what can and should be a win-win dynamic." http://www.americantaskforce.org/what%E2%80%99s_wrong_onestate_agenda_html

I like that.. and I hope my elected leaders are listening.

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab