"Israel has decided to make Annapolis a success, to bring an end to the conflict, to finally make peace between the Palestinians and ourselves."
Earlier this week, Israeli President Shimon Peres actually made this statement. I'm not joking. I'm not making it up. This is what the octogenarian statesman had to say about the upcoming Middle East peace summit in Maryland.
I could write a book about this one, inane, ridiculous, stupid sentence. Suffice it to say it illustrates what is wrong inside the psyche of today's Israeli political elite.
"Israel has decided to make Annapolis a success …"
I wonder if Shimon Peres has ever heard the expression: "It takes two to tango." Actually, it takes many more than two to tango in the Middle East. It's not like Israel has one enemy. It has dozens – any one of which is capable of sabotaging Israel's best efforts to achieve peace. And I'm not sure a single one of its enemies is actually serious about peace. In fact, I can't think of a single one.
Nevertheless, Israel has decided to make Annapolis a success.
Does Peres not understand what this sounds like to people? In all of his many years on this planet, has he never taken an hour for media coaching? Does he not have advisers around him explaining that the words you choose are very important in matters of diplomacy? How could this man who believes so hopelessly in talking to his enemies not understand that the words you speak in public have consequences?
If it were as simple as Israel deciding to make peace, can we now assume that for the last 60 years Israel had decided against making peace? What is so remarkable about this moment, about Annapolis? No clue is provided.
So, just as much of the world already suspects, Israel has single-handedly prevented peace with the Palestinians for the last 60 years – that's what Peres has admitted through this statement.
"… to bring an end to the conflict, to finally make peace between the Palestinians and ourselves."
Never mind that 60 years ago, even 40 years ago, the only people who called themselves "Palestinians" were Jews. Peres would never mention such a fact. He has not only decided to make peace with enemies who want no part of peace, long ago he decided to adopt their language, to permit them to set the parameters for the conflict, to accept their grievances as legitimate – even though they are not.
Such is the continuing folly of the Israeli political elite whom Shimon Peres personifies.
Are they fools, or is there an agenda at work other than securing the safety of Israel's citizenry?
It's hard to believe I know Israel's history and position in the world better than Peres, so I must assume those who take such positions do so because there is some personal gain. It can't be about peace, because there will be no peace – Peres knows it; everyone knows it.
It can't be about making Israel more secure, because these ideas only serve to make Israel less secure. In fact, just talking about them, just putting them on the table for discussion, makes Israel manifestly less safe.
But don't try to explain it to Peres. Don't try to explain it to George W. Bush. Don't try to explain it to Condoleezza Rice. Don't try to explain it to Ehud Olmert. They're all determined to pursue the Annapolis folly – to continue doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results.
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