Jun 16 2016
Netanyahu’s warped logic
    
By Daoud Kuttab
After initially hinting that Israel might be open to some elements of the 2002 Arab Peace Plan, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu totally backtracked.
“The Arab Peace Initiative includes positive elements that can help revive constructive negotiations with the Palestinians,†Netanyahu said shortly after right-wing member of Knesset Avigdor Lieberman was sworn in.
“We are willing to negotiate with the Arab states revisions to that initiative so that it reflects the dramatic changes in the region since 2002, but maintains the agreed goal of two states for two peoples.â€
Less than two weeks later, Netanyahu told his ministers that “Israel will never accept the Arab Peace Initiative as basis for talks with Palestinians. If they bring the proposal from 2002 and define it as ‘take it or leave it’ — we’ll choose to leave itâ€.
The Arab plan is both powerful and simple in its details. It is based on what the two Bush presidents (and all presidents after) considered as the basis for resolving the Israeli-Arab conflict, namely an exchange of land for peace. Continue Reading »