10 reasons for a modicum of optimisim By Robert Rosenberg May 17 2002 Yes, it is indeed a dark time, though I'm somewhat more optimistic now than a month ago because (in no particular order): 1. For the first time in 35 years, the Saudi Arabians are publicly involved. They carry the most weight of all in the Arab world, and they have chosen the side of peace. They may be a reactionary, fundamentalist regime, but they are essentially rational/pragmatic, a key element for political progress missing now on both the Israeli and Palestinian sides. 2. Irrespective of the Sharon-Bush demands for reforms, the Palestinains are debating administrative reforms, including a unified secrity service and elimination of separately armed militias. Sharon believes it could take years to implement -- the U.S. and Palestinians are working on a plan that would set things in motion in weeks. 3. Israeli public opinion polls show that two-thirds of the electorate knows there will be a Palestinian state, and knows the concessions that have to be made for peace, and accept them. The leaders, unfortunately, are lagging behind the public. But they will catch up. 4. Palestinian public opinion polls in the territories show that two thirds of them know that a peace deal involves a two-state solution and they are ready for it. 5. Netanyahu proved to be completely out of touch with the public, and is dropping in the polls like an iron butterfly. He should change careers and become a TV talk show host, preferably in America, where he can continue pandering to the extreme right wing and American fundamentalists. 6. The Labor Party, which looks so weak and ineffectual, is finally making some moves to come up with a proactive peace platform that will essentially force it out of the government or at least put in it conflict with the right wing trends in the gvernment. 7. American public opinion polls show Americans want the U.S. to be more of a neutral broker, and Bush is sticking to his two-states solution despite Sharon's obvuious efforts at proscrination. 8. Arafat has begun referring to suicide bombings as terror, not shaheeds. 9. The peace camp is back in the streets for demonstrations -- about 75,000 in Tel Aviv last weekend. Every Saturday night vigils outside the PM's house in Jerusalem and the defense ministry in Tel Aviv. We are not alone. 10. There is a pendulum built into Israeli politics -- left-right-left-right -- with the right usually bringing down its own governmnents because of ideological impurity. The pendulum began swinging leftward this month with the Likud Central Committee's decision against a Palestinian state. Yes, I could have easily drawn up a 10 reasons for pessimism list -- but hey, if there's one thing this part of the world can use it's a little forward thinking. I'm trying to do my bit to improve the karma, so to speak. |  Jewish lovers ... JewishCafe.com  Peace  Pleasure  Bookstore Contact/Submit Letters to the Editor at the Ariga Guestbook About Ariga Archive Donate Get the Ariga Update Newsfeeds from Moreover, Yahoo AP/Reuter and Google |
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