eNewsletters |
November 27, 2007
Israel Office
SHATIL
NIF Outside Israel
Weekly Message
The Torah portion read in synagogues this past Shabbat included the story of Jacob’s daughter Dina, her rape/seduction, the deal reached between Jacob and her abductors and, ultimately, the slaughter by Dina's brothers of those responsible for the abduction (Genesis 34). The story ends with an enigmatic dialogue between Jacob and his sons. Jacob complains to his sons that, because of their acts, they have compromised Jacob's status among the peoples of the land and placed his house at risk of annihilation. The sons respond they if they had not taken revenge, their sister would have been deemed a harlot.
Listening to the reading and the subsequent discussion at the service I attended, I could not help but consider whether the text provided a message for Israel's contemporary leadership, as they were preparing for the US-hosted meeting in Annapolis, Maryland. On the one hand, you have Jacob arguing that a small nation must be willing to face the political reality of being few in number and surrounded by existing and potential enemies - compromise is thus an essential part of survival. On the other hand, the sons argue that a small nation must project an active deterrence so as to avoid being constantly asked to compromise. And, both positions are critiqued for ignoring basic moral considerations.
Interestingly, the text leaves the discussion without a resolution. Thus, the point may be that the Bible does not provide obvious answers to issues of geopolitical strategy or of where to set the boundaries for the state of Israel. Sacred texts can inform a way of thinking, but leaders should form policy by reference to both political interests and a code of ethics.
By the time you receive this e-mail, the Annapolis meeting will be underway. The anticipated outcomes have now been articulated: a) establishment of a timeline and process for negotiation of final status issues (mutual recognition, borders, refugees, Jerusalem, etc,); b) immediate implementation of Phase I of the Road Map (e.g., fulfillment of Palestinian security obligations, freeze on settlements, lifting of roadblocks, etc.); and c) involvement of the international community in monitoring the parties' adherence to their respective obligation and financially supporting the development of the Palestinian economy and institutions. In evaluating the outcome of the meeting, I propose the following four “keys” for consideration.
The first key relates to security. The Palestinians understand that they need to make more than verbal commitments on this issue - they must demonstrate that they are serious about taking concrete action to prevent attacks directed at Israel. Realistically, for this to occur, Israel must allow the Palestinian Authority (PA) to develop and utilize the security apparatus required to reestablish PA control over the West Bank, and ultimately Gaza. The international community’s role is critically important in terms of training the Palestinian security force and in invigorating the entire criminal justice system – prosecutors, judges and prisons.
A second key concerns political legitimacy. Both Palestinian and Israeli rejectionists, undoubtedly, will seek to undermine whatever agreement is reached or process emerges from Annapolis through political pressure and through creating their own facts on the ground (attacks on Israeli targets by Palestinian rejectionists and settlement activity by Israeli rejectionists). The question is whether the advocates of peace in both societies, who may not be satisfied with specific aspects of the terms emerging from the meeting, will rally behind the fragile reeds, or will sit on the sidelines waiting for another opportunity. The mainstream American Jewish community also needs to take a careful look at its own right-wing rejectionists and firmly support the continuing quest for peace.
A third key involves immediate improvement in the quality of life for the Palestinians. Employment opportunities must be created and the Palestinian economy must be revived. This will require easing trade across border crossings and lifting many of the checkpoints that dot the West Bank. Obviously, Israel will insist on security guarantees being in place, but a circular argument about who must proceed first will be a clear sign that the Annapolis meeting has failed.
A final key relates to the reaction of the Arab countries. If they endorse whatever statement is issued and promise to support with significant financial contributions Palestinian economic development, both Palestinian and Israeli officials will be encouraged to proceed with their commitments, despite the anticipated domestic opposition. Their silence, while not necessarily dooming the process, will create a much more difficult environment for future negotiations.
Objective analysis aside, the upcoming Annapolis meeting represents an important opportunity for moving the Palestinian-Israeli peace process forward and, ultimately, for allowing Israeli society to address existing political and social fissures. Whatever one may think of the Bush Administration’s folly in Iraq, or of the squandered opportunities of the past seven years in terms of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, or of Secretary Rice’s diplomatic style, now is the time to place those concerns aside and hope that, the vision of two states living side by side in peace and prosperity will emerge out of the dark realities of the current situation. For those who care about the future of the state of Israel, the alternatives are too bleak to contemplate.
In this week's NIF News, we focus on International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women as it was marked in Israel. In a year in which the topic received unprecedented media coverage with Israel's President forced to resign over allegations of rape and sexual assault, and the Minister of Justice found guilty of sexual misconduct, we report on some of the many activities organized by members of the NIF family. SHATIL reports on a school strike protesting the death of a child in a school bus accident, a report presented to Knesset focusing on environmental justice and a newly launched program that will train economic and social policy-shapers.
