RE: Are America and Israel drifting apart? The Post asked former officials and policy experts whether there is a divide between the Obama administration and the Jewish state- responses from Elliott Abrams, David Makovsky, Aaron David Miller, Danielle Pletka, and Hussein Agha and Robert Malley.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/12/AR2010031203570.html
Dear Editor,
The real question in seeking to end the Israel/Palestine conflict is not so much "Are America and Israel drifting apart?" but "Why has Israel wasted the past 61 years refusing to respect international law and the Palestinians basic human rights, including but not limited to the Palestinian refugees inalienable legal and natural right to return to original homes and lands?"
Former officials and policy experts helped shape (or at least sustain) many of the misguided blindly "pro-Israel" polices that have created the situation we have today. Blame games will not fix the situation- but a firm focus on what is needed to achieve a just and lasting peace for both Israel and Palestine will. We need to be advocating a Golden Rule Peace for Israel and Palestine.
Obviously fully supporting a fully secular two state solution is the best way forward for everyone's sake.
The Arab Peace Initiative makes the minimum requirements quite clear: Full Israeli withdrawal from all the territories occupied since 1967, a just solution to the Palestinian refugee problem to be agreed upon in accordance with U.N. General Assembly Resolution 194 (from 1948), and the acceptance of the establishment of a sovereign independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab
Growing Gardens for Palestine
Emanating from the conviction of the Arab countries that a military solution to the conflict will not achieve peace or provide security for the parties, the council:
1. Requests Israel to reconsider its policies and declare that a just peace is its strategic option as well.
2. Further calls upon Israel to affirm:
I- Full Israeli withdrawal from all the territories occupied since 1967, including the Syrian Golan Heights, to the June 4, 1967 lines as well as the remaining occupied Lebanese territories in the south of Lebanon.
II- Achievement of a just solution to the Palestinian refugee problem to be agreed upon in accordance with U.N. General Assembly Resolution 194.
III- The acceptance of the establishment of a sovereign independent Palestinian state on the Palestinian territories occupied since June 4, 1967 in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
3. Consequently, the Arab countries affirm the following:
I- Consider the Arab-Israeli conflict ended, and enter into a peace agreement with Israel, and provide security for all the states of the region.
II- Establish normal relations with Israel in the context of this comprehensive peace.
Celebrating Women's History Month by celebrating some GREAT Palestinian-American Artists, Writers & Poets: MARCH FORTH!
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