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.

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