MJ Rosenberg: Israeli Leader: Palestinian Should Unilaterally Declare a State

Reported by Huffington Post on Sunday, 15 November 2009 (on November 15, 2009)

Yossi Sarid, a longtime leader in Israeli politics and an aide to several prime ministers, says it\'s time for Palestinians to realize that negotiations with Israel will get them nowhere.

They should simply unilaterally declare a state in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem now.

He writes:

\"President Abbas owes it to his people, to himself, and to us. This week, there were reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu finds this possibility very scary, and he expects the Americans to nip it in the bud. But his nightmare is our only chance for an end to the occupation in our time.

When he declares independence, Abbas should call upon the Jews living in the state of Palestine to preserve the peace and to do their part in building up the new country as full and equal citizens, enjoying fair representation in all of its institutions. David Ben-Gurion would not have been upset by such a pretty act of plagiarism from his Declaration of Independence.

And thus, Abbas will become the Palestinian Ben-Gurion. Conditions were no less foggy and circumstances were no more certain when Ben-Gurion declared independence in 1948. But our founding father took the risk, and we are fortunate that he did.

The risk Abbas would be taking is much smaller. Of the 192 member states of the United Nations, over 150 would recognize a free Palestine, and it would soon become the 193rd. Although the American position is an unknown, it is hard to believe that Barack Obama would agree to drag America back into isolation now that it has begun to be part of the world again.

And what would Netanyahu do? Invade and re-conquer the West Bank? Restore the military government in the Muqata in Ramallah?\"

Read the whole piece. It\'s worth considering. NOTE: I WILL SOON BEGIN SENDING out by e-mail a weekly Friday column on foreign policy issues. If you want to receive it by e-mail, send your address to: mjrosenberg8@gmail.com

Links:

Full news story

Post this:

Facebook

E-mail

Twitter

Mixx

StumbleUpon

FriendFeed

Recent related news

guardian.co.uk 7 hours ago - World	Now President Obama must show he has the courage to take Israel on \| Chris McGreal The US finally seems to be losing patience now that Netanyahu's behaviour is endangering its...
guardian.co.uk 7 hours ago - World	Binyamin Netanyahu holds out olive branch to Palestinians ahead of US trip Israeli prime minister bows to US demands and suspends construction of settler homes in east...
Huffington Post 12 hours ago - Politics	MJ Rosenberg: My Life With AIPAC: Plus Its Internal Strategy Document For This Week And there is AIPAC\'s secret memo on its strategy with Congress this week. h/t American For Peace Now...
guardian.co.uk 1 day ago - US	Israeli-Palestinian peace hopes rise as US envoy prepares to get talks moving • Mitchell's trip to region back on after concession • Blair expects resumption of indirect...
Huffington Post 2 days ago - Politics	Dr. Guy Ziv: Latest U.S.-Israel Crisis Can Lead to a Breakthrough It is often said that crises beget opportunities. This statement is nowhere truer than in the realm...

Huffington Post 2 days ago - World	Tom Pfingsten: Biden Was Here. Now What? Every Friday, 19-year-old Uri Agnon walks with 200 other people from West Jerusalem to a Palestinian...
Huffington Post 2 days ago - World	Netanyahu, Clinton Talk: Israeli Leader Calls Clinton, Plans Meeting Next Week MOSCOW — Hoping to defuse a fight between friends, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and...
The New Republic 2 days ago - US	Obama's Rage and the Palestinians' 'Days of Rage' They are not unconnected. They are not unconnected at all. Now, presumably the president...
Huffington Post 3 days ago - World	Rabbi Shmuley Boteach: Obama's Bullying of Israel When it comes to tyrants who have dismantled their nation\'s democracies and thrown their political...
Huffington Post 4 days ago - World	MJ Rosenberg: AIPAC Pressures Congress: Back Netanyahu, not the President The diplomatic crisis over Israeli settlements is going into its second week and there is no sign...

Tweet the News!			41
MJ Rosenberg: Israeli Leader: Palestinian Should Unilaterally Declare a State
Twitter login: password: Register to store your twitter account details
There don't appear to be any related tweets. Be the first to tweet the news!

Tip: Sign up as a Member now - FREE access to news alerts, news bookmarking and more.

Select Region >