‘Time is not right’

I read in the April 8 issue about yet another peace proposal from a high profile, left-wing Israeli group, pushing for all the usual Israeli concessions and even negotiations to surrender the Golan Heights. In the ’90s, when Yasser Arafat was rehabilitated and made into a media darling, many pointed out he could not be trusted. In fact, he was found to have continued orchestrating the murders of Jewish women and children, promising peace in English while spewing hate in Arabic.

Fast forward to today, where those detached from reality would have Israel negotiate with Bashar Assad, a shaky dictator who has lately been mowing down unarmed protestors in his country. Reliable peace partner?

The entire Middle East is in upheaval and no one is able to promise Israel anything, much less anything worth trading for land and security. Perhaps Jordan’s illegitimate monarchy will fall and the Palestinian Arab majority there will have their own state. Perhaps the Egyptians will realize they traded a dictator for a military dictatorship.

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Sell out the settlers? Remember, most Arabs consider all Israelis settlers. The nuances of borders are lost on most people with guns surrounding Israel. The time is not right for unreasonable peace plans with questionable partners, raising expectations on both sides only to see them crumble.