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Don't follow your logic, Dr. Pipes

Reader comment on item: Israel Does Not Need Palestinian Recognition?

Submitted by Harry (Israel), Jul 11, 2006 at 07:01

Dr. Pipes,

You wrote: "That means, however bitter it may be, that Palestinians must be convinced of the permanent existence of the Jewish state."

Agreed -- but what does that have to do with recognizing the right of the state of Israel to exist? A Palestinian government can be convinced of Israel's permanent existence without acknowledging its right to exist.

Actually, what do you mean by recognition of the right of Israel to exist? And how would your formulate a parallel demand on the part of the Palestinians?

Surely you don't mean to say that a Palestinian state has to formally accept the zionist premise of the State of Israel -- that the Jewish people have a right to a state in Palestine -- in order to be entitled to its own state? From the Palestinian standpoint, that would be like asking a rape victim to acknowledge the legitmacy of its rapist.

And by that logic, the Soviet Union would have rightly insisted that the US accept its right to exist as a communist stae before it would sign any treaties with the US. After all, communism was vital to its national identity. And surely, it would have insisted that no American government do anything which would undermine its existence.

What would Begin have said to the idea that in order for the Jews to have their sovereign state, they need to recognize the right of the Palestinians to exist in their own sovereign state in Palestine?

Isn't it sufficient that Israel and Palestinie commit itself to peace and non-beligerence? If you say, ah, but what guarantees that Palestine will not try to undermine Israel, then one can ask the same question with respect to Israel. Imagining a scenario in which Israel tries to undermine the stability of a Palestinian state is not very difficult, is it, especially if that state is perceived by Israel as belligerent.

Please clarify.

Harry M.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (26) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Time [5 words]Michele EzellSep 26, 2009 00:02162127
It's the words ... "Right to Exist" is not an acceptable phrase. [148 words]Sofa SogoodDec 8, 2007 22:42115939
Don't follow your logic, Dr. Pipes [321 words]HarryJul 11, 2006 07:0149383
Israel Should Walk Tall: Recognizing "Right to Exist" Small Consolation & Misguided [84 words]Robert VivaletJul 5, 2006 10:3548918
A Right to EXIST? (August 2002) [635 words]Giv CornfieldJul 1, 2006 20:5848691
Israel Does Not Need Palestinian Recognition? [14 words]steven lJun 30, 2006 21:2748622
right on [32 words]allan wallaceJun 30, 2006 17:2948597
Right to Exist [44 words]BruceJun 30, 2006 15:1748585
Recognition [98 words]Robert SolotJun 30, 2006 14:1948579
Cnly the Names Change [153 words]dr. richard s. tombackJun 30, 2006 13:5048573
time to act- end of oslo era [332 words]michael wiseJun 28, 2006 11:5948355
"With God On Our Side" [271 words]GeorgesJun 28, 2006 03:5448322
JEWISH LEMMINGS HAVE THEIR DAY [1656 words]FERN SIDMANJun 27, 2006 13:2648256
The Arabs are such babies, and dangerous ones [128 words]bobJun 26, 2006 19:0148205
I agree [107 words]ServanneJun 9, 2007 02:4948205
The "rightest" nation in the cemetery.... [64 words]AaronJun 26, 2006 10:0048178
The most important Israeli achievement would be Arab Islamic recognition of our right to a sovereign state [194 words]Kenneth S. BesigJun 26, 2006 02:4448163
The "Israel Test" [113 words]PRODOSJun 27, 2006 09:3848163
Recognition is a game, what will matter will be the borders [347 words]Jonathan PfefferJun 25, 2006 22:3748158
voa [32 words]cyrusJun 22, 2006 15:4348057
alamdari [36 words]cyrusJun 22, 2006 16:4248057
A question of reciprocity? [75 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Saikat BiswasJun 22, 2006 15:2548055
in my opinion [40 words]terence silberJun 21, 2006 11:5148001
and? [42 words]S.H.Jun 23, 2006 00:5948001
Israel's legitimacy rests on its embrace of liberty [137 words]PRODOSJun 26, 2006 09:1648001
The Legitimacy of the Palestinians is the Issue [343 words]Alan NitikmanJun 30, 2006 13:4248001

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Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

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