Hard Truths

Both Israel and the Palestinian Authority have pledged themselves to continuing the peace talks initiated and stringently encouraged by the outgoing Republican administration, and have so advised the incoming Democratic administration. Which, it is assumed, will be too engaged, too busy for the near future to become as integrally involved in the peace process as its predecessor was in the dying days of the Bush administration.

It so often seems as though nothing concrete will result from these talks, but there is always hope.

An embattled country, only too aware of its status as an undesirable presence in the midst of Arab Muslim and Persian Muslim neighbours, well knows the delicacy of its position in the Middle East. It has fought long and bitterly against its implacable foes. And now, when most of its near neighbours appear close to accepting the legality of its presence, it faces a more elusive and dangerous enemy.

There is no disguising the intent and hatred of the militias that have assembled themselves for the singular purpose of destroying the State of Israel. They have the support, guidance, funding and training of several countries refusing to admit to the assault on their Islamic sensibilities as having any legitimacy. Iran and Syria and increasingly Lebanon, work unceasingly toward Israel's demise.

On the positive side there is Egypt and Jordan, both of which Israel has signed peace treaties with. Along with hostile neighbours like Saudi Arabia which will agree to Israel's recognition, and others with low-key, almost genial relations with the country. The simple fact being that Israel, as a functioning liberal democracy whose inner stability, political diversity, and healthy economy is a spur to others.

Others who would benefit from emulating Israeli business enterprise, scientific and educational advances. And it is assured that Israel would be only too willing to share much of her technical expertise with her neighbours, as it now does to a degree in the matter of desalinization. A final relaxation of tensions among the other nations of the Middle East toward Israel would benefit the entire region.

But first, the little incidentals must be settled. The terror groups that target Israel also compromise the stability of other countries of the Middle East, much as the aspirations of Iran perplexes and inspires apprehension among them. Those countries who use terror groups as proxies to destabilize the Jewish state with the hope it will be destroyed must be convinced to act otherwise.

And current Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, despite the bad odour of his crimes of purported corruption and his resignation at a near date, has it right. The hard right members of the Knesset are outraged at his firm honesty in admitting that there is no other way for Israel to comport itself at this juncture but to admit it must surrender land it now occupies, that lie outside its original borders.

"We were wrong; we did not see the big picture" he said, speaking of the 400,000 Jewish settlers that have established themselves in parts of the West Bank with the blessing and assistance of their government at various stages of its history. "We thought we could succeed in having a country which was Jewish, democratic, decent, violence-free, one which welcomed and embraced its neighbours within the borders of our sovereignty.

"It will not work. It is already not working. It claimed a price from us which we do not have the moral strength to bear - and it will claim even heavier costs - which will unravel the fragile bonds which still preserve the social solidarity of Israeli society.... This truth, unfortunately, will obligate us to rip away many portions of the homeland - in Judea, Samaria, Jerusalem and the Golan Heights."

This is an admittedly dreadful price for Israel to pay. To forcibly - for she will have to resort to force to pry religious fundamentalist Jews who claim biblical authority for ownership of Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) - pry settlers away from their claims to the land, just as was done in the Gaza Strip. As for Jerusalem, dividing even a small portion of that site holy to Jews seems unthinkable.

Surrendering the Golan Heights back to Syria, when it was taken as a prize by a jubilantly victorious Israel, defending yet another vicious onslaught from its neighbours, will be a difficult decision, but ultimately a necessary one, if it is to bring Syria to the bargaining table for peace and away from its funding of terror groups.

Not only will Israel be surrendering a beautiful and productive landscape, but it will then live on the tenterhooks of suspense as to whether Syria will honour a peace pledge, or whether it will resort to using the Heights to once again bomb and terrorize Israel's borders and its people, as was done historically.

There are no quick and easy solutions, there never are, except in fairy tales.

Israel must move to secure its place in the region beyond any doubt. It must make some very difficult advances to the bargaining authority for the Palestinians; even beyond reason. It has the grave obligation to itself, to its people, to ensure continuity, stability, safety, peace.

And there is always hope.