A Solution in Search of a Dispute

North Miami Beach, Florida 2-1 July 29,2000 Aaron H. Schectman

THINKING ALLOWED
Essays on issues, ideas and reflections on the times. Published now and
then. Opinions pro or con are welcome.
A SOLUTION IN SEARCH OF A DISPUTE
Peace is the solution to disputes that are ugly and violent. This is
obvious to me and, I think, obvious to the majority of thinking humans. You
cannot have peace when the dispute is such where new generations of
disputants are reared to think of the opposition as non-participants in a
resolution process. Resolution for them is to win all.

The issue between the Arab peoples, Muslim and Christian, and Jews living
in the same pitiful strip of land of the old Fertile Crescent should be over
compromise in their differing positions. This would be easy if all the
participants came to a bargaining table wishing to compromise. How can the
Palestinian side whose schools teach driving the Jews of Israel into the
sea, bargain in good faith with a negative agenda ingrained in its future
citizens?

The solution here is further complicated in that the disputants spill over
into other parts of the world. It is significant to note that Yasir Arafat
checked in with Hosni Mubarak in Egypt before returning home from
negotiations in America inspired by a needy Bill Clinton. There are many
agendas on and under the table which confuse issues and obscure solutions.

The solution to the Palestinian/Israeli dispute was to be the cap to the
Clinton legacy. This was not to be at Camp David in July of 2000. The Arab
position with respect to the Land of Israel is that nothing will be
exchanged for Israel's security. There is no security for a people who
defeated Arab armies and humiliated the Arab people while appearing to be an
implacable imperialist power backed unfairly by the power and prestige of
the United States. It remains to be seen if the suggested move of the U. S.
Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem will influence future negotiations.

When you read the Arab press you see that the success at the end of
negotiations was for the non-participation of the Palestinians in this
latest meeting. Nothing was contributed and nothing was given away. Their
contribution was a negative. Peace, the solution here, is still in search of
the dispute that goes on and on. Carol's Evaluation: 9.5 out of 10.