Why "Palestine" is Important to Israel

What are the goals and needs of Israel? Peace. Peace has always been at the center of Israel's creation. That's why Israel has decided that the two-state solution is the most desirable goal.

Israel realizes it is again paying a heavy price for the much wanted peace by giving up more of our precious little land for peace, though they have done so in the past and have only received bombing in return.

Israel does not want to control Palestinians or dictate their lives. Israel does not want to have its family members stand at checkpoints and screen civilians. Israel does not enjoy causing distress for other people. Israelis are a people forced to become soldiers and serve every month until age 55. This was never their goal in creating Israel.

Israel wants to live. It does not yearn for death. We have done more than our share to bring about a peace with our neighbors. We left other parts of Israel to have peace with Egypt. We left Gaza completely by leaving settlements and homes and business. This includes our citizens and our army personnel. And what happened?

What have the Palestinians done? They haven't even changed the demands of Yasser Arafat. Everyone wants us to withdraw but does not give us any guarantees of protection. We cannot give up the Golan Heights. We cannot leave the Shebaa Farms regions. Israel is so small that we need a certain amount of space to keep rockets out. We're not a stupid people. We're logical.

The Saudis made Israelis use a back door to enter their rooms and showed no friendliness towards our representatives. Their demands are unreasonable. We cannot allow millions of newly-born refugees to return to Israel and create an Arab state. Their representatives would not even shake hands with us. The Peace Talks of the Middle East were in a very chilly atmosphere.

The Arab feelings about Israel do not seem to have changed. Yet we keep compromising. I'd like to see a change and wait for the Palestinians to show compromise and eagerness to be friendly neighbors. There are plenty of olive trees around. Let them extend the olive branch for a change. If they really want the creation of a Palestine, they would.

Reference: Mitchell Bard Myth #283.