INDEX OF MYTHS 2013

- "The Palestinians have made concessions to advance the peace process; Israel has remained uncompromising."(October 30) - "Israel is responsible or e!pelling the "rabs o Palestine during the #$%& 'ar o Independence." (October (3) - "Iran is isolated because o the international sanctions regime." (October #0) - "Iran)s *upreme +eader ,hamenei issued a at-a against producing nuclear -eapons." (October 3) - "Palestinians support the bo.cott and divestment movement against Israel." (*eptember (%) - "Israeli P/ 0en1amin 2etan.ahu is disinterested in peace -ith the Palestinians." (*eptember #() - "3hristians are a protected minorit. in the /iddle 4ast." ("ugust (&) - "Israel must ma5e concessions or the peace process to succeed." ("ugust #6) - "Palestinian leaders enter peace tal5s -ith Israel sharing a common desire or democac.." (7ul. 3#) - "Israel )occupies) the 'est 0an5." (7ul. (%) - "The 8.*. must be involved in an. success ul peace process bet-een Israel and her neighbors." (7ul. ##) - "The election o 9assan :ouhani eliminates the Iranian nuclear threat." (7une (;) - "The 8nited *tates helped Israel de eat the "rabs in si! da.s in 7une #$<;." (7une <) - ""n Israeli attac5 on Iran -ould endanger 8.*. interests in the /iddle 4ast." (/a. 30) - ")2a5ba =a.) has nothing to do -ith the peace process." (/a. (() - "Israel has re used to discuss a compromise on the uture o 7erusalem." (/a. #%) - "*.ria>s chemical -eapons pose no threat outside o *.ria." (/a. () - "2o- is a good time to revive the "rab peace initiative." ("pril (6) - "The Palestinian "uthorit. is committed to re orming Palestinian societ.." ("pril #&) - "Israelis overreact to harmless roc5-thro-ing b. Palestinians." ("pril 3) - "2on-lethal Palestinian roc5et attac5s have no impact on Israel)s civilian population." (/arch (#) - "The 4uropean 8nion has no reason to name 9e?bollah a terrorist organi?ation." (/arch #3) - "Israel has created separate bus lines to segregate 7e-s and Palestinians." (/arch ;) - "I the Israeli-Palestinian con lict -as solved@ the /iddle 4ast -ould be a peace." (Aebruar. (0) - ""ttac5ing Iran -ill create more instabilit. in the /iddle 4ast." (Aebruar. #3) - "The Palestinians are no- read. to ma5e peace -ith Israel." (Aebruar. ;) - "Israel has nothing to ear rom a nuclear Iran." (7anuar. (() - "Israeli settlements are an obstacle to /ideast peace." (7anuar. #;)

MYTH: Israeli settlements are an obstacle to /ideast peace. A"3T

Parado!icall.@ perhaps the most prevalent m.th about the "rab-Israeli con lict is the easiest to disprove both rhetoricall. and empiricall.. 3onsider the ollo-ing actsB Arom #$%$C<;@ -hen 7e-s -ere orbidden to live on the 'est 0an5@ the "rabs re used to ma5e peace -ith Israel. Arom #$<;C;;@ the +abor Part. established onl. a e- strategic settlements in the territories@ .et the "rabs -ere un-illing to negotiate peace -ith Israel. In #$;;@ months a ter a +i5ud government committed to greater settlement activit. too5 po-er@ 4g.ptian President *adat -ent to 7erusalem and later signed a peace treat. -ith Israel. Incidentall.@ Israeli settlements e!isted in the *inai and those -ere removed as part o the agreement -ith 4g.pt. One .ear later@ Israel ro?e settlement building or three months@ hoping the gesture -ould entice other "rabs to 1oin the 3amp =avid peace process@ but none -ould. The Palestinians also re1ected an o er o autonom. that most li5el. -ould have led to statehood. In #$$%@ 7ordan signed a peace agreement -ith Israel and settlements -ere not an issue; i an.thing@ the number o 7e-s living in the territories -as gro-ing. 0et-een 7une #$$( and 7une #$$<@ under +abor-led governments@ the 7e-ish population in the territories gre- b. appro!imatel. 60 percent. This rapid gro-th did not prevent the Palestinians rom signing the Oslo accords in *eptember #$$3 or the Oslo ( agreement in *eptember #$$6. In (000@ Prime /inister 4hud 0ara5 o ered to dismantle do?ens o settlements and -ithdra- rom $; percent o the 'est 0an5@ but the Palestinians still -ould not agree to end the con lict. In "ugust (006@ Israel evacuated all o the settlements in the Da?a *trip and our in 2orthern *amaria@ but terror attac5s continued. In (00&@ Prime /inister 4hud Olmert o ered to -ithdra- rom appro!imatel. $% percent o the 'est 0an5@ but the deal -as re1ected. In (0#0@ Prime /inister 0en1amin 2etan.ahu ro?e settlement construction or #0 months and the Palestinians re used to engage in negotiations until the period -as nearl. over. " ter agreeing to tal5@ the. -al5ed out -hen 2etan.ahu re used to prolong the ree?e. On the last point@ President Obama>s special envo. or /ideast peace@ Deorge /itchell noted that the Palestinians -ere un-illing to accept the settlement ree?e o ered b. 2etan.ahu because the. said it -as Euseless.F /itchell added@ EThe. re used to enter into the negotiations until nine months o the #0 had elapsed. Once the. entered@ the. then said Gthe ree?eH -as indispensable. 'hat had been -orse than useless a e- months be ore then became indispensable and the. said the. -ould not remain in the tal5s unless that indispensable element -as e!tended.F(&3

In late (0#(@ the m.th too5 on absurd proportions ollo-ing the Palestinian decision to see5 statehood recognition at the 82 Deneral "ssembl. and Israel>s retaliator. announcement o the intention to build more homes or 7e-s in e!isting settlements and in 7erusalem. "s a 'ashington Post editorial noted@ the h.sterical international reaction to Israel>s moves -as Ecounterproductive because it rein orces t-o mista5en but -idel. held notionsB that the settlements are the principal obstacle to a deal and that urther construction -ill ma5e a Palestinian state impossible.F(&% The Post added that E/r. 2etan.ahu>s government@ li5e several be ore it@ has limited building almost entirel. to areas that both sides e!pect Israel to anne! through territorial s-aps in an eventual settlement. Aor e!ample@ the 7erusalem neighborhoods -here construction -as announced last month -ere conceded to Israel b. Palestinian negotiators in (00& Gemphasis in originalH.(&6 The biggest uproar@ the Post observed@ -as over 2etan.ahu>s decision to plan or construction in a our-mile strip 5no-n as 4-# that -ould connect 7erusalem -ith the suburb o /a>ale "dumim. The Palestinians@ and man. media outlets including the 2e- Ior5 Times@ claimed this pro1ect -ould ma5e it impossible to establish a contiguous Palestinian state. The Post correctl. reported that Israel -ill undoubtedl. anne! /a>ale "dumim C a cit. o %0@000 C in an. peace deal so the 4-# pro1ect is essential to ensure that it does not become an island in the middle o a Palestinian state.(&< 'hile 82 *ecretar. Deneral 0an ,i-moon called Israel>s actions an Ealmost atal blo-F to the t-o-state solution and 0ritish Aoreign *ecretar. 'illiam 9ague said ne- building -ould ma5e it Ever. di icult to achieve@F the Post called the rhetoric Eo ensive at a time the *ecurit. 3ouncil is re using to ta5e action to stop the slaughter o tens o thousands o civilians C including man. Palestinians C b. the *.rian regime. +i5e Obama>s initial call or a settlement ree?e@ the rhetoric also encourages /ahmoud "bbas to continue to insist on a ree?e be ore negotiating. EI *ecurit. 3ouncil members are reall. interested in progress to-ard Palestinian statehood@F the Post concluded@ Ethe. -ill press /r. "bbas to stop using settlements as an e!cuse or intransigence C and cool their o-n overheated rhetoric.F(&; 4ven though settlements have not impeded peace@ man. Israelis still have concerns about the e!pansion o settlements. *ome consider them provocative@ others -orr. that the settlers are particularl. vulnerable@ and note the. have been targets o repeated Palestinian terrorist attac5s. To de end them@ large numbers o soldiers are deplo.ed -ho -ould other-ise be training and preparing or a possible uture con lict -ith an "rab arm.. *ome Israelis also ob1ect to the amount o mone. that goes to communities be.ond the Dreen +ine@ and special subsidies that have been provided to ma5e housing there more a ordable. *till others eel the settlers are providing a irst line o de ense and developing land that right ull. belongs to Israel. The disposition o settlements is a matter or the inal status negotiations. The Juestion o -here the inal border -ill be bet-een Israel and a Palestinian entit. -ill li5el. be in luenced b. the distribution o these 7e-ish to-ns in 7udea and *amaria (the border -ith Da?a -as uno iciall. de ined ollo-ing Israel>s -ithdra-al). Israel -ants to incorporate as man. settlers as possible -ithin its

borders -hile the Palestinians -ant to e!pel all 7e-s rom the territor. the. control. I Israel -ithdra-s to-ard the #$%$ armistice line unilaterall.@ or as part o a political settlement including land s-aps (i.e.@ in e!change or more territor. in the 'est 0an5@ Israel -ould cede land in the 2egev or else-here to the Palestinians) man. settlers -ill ace one or more optionsB remain in the territories (the disengagement rom Da?a suggests this ma. not be possible)@ e!pulsion rom their homes@ or voluntar. resettlement in Israel (-ith inancial compensation). The impediment to peace is not the e!istence o 7e-ish communities in the disputed territories; it is the Palestinians> un-illingness to accept a state ne!t to Israel instead o one replacing Israel.

MYTH: Israel has nothing to ear rom a nuclear Iran. A"3T

7e-s have learned rom pain ul histor. that -hen someone threatens to 5ill them@ the. should ta5e it seriousl.. There ore@ no one should be surprised at the alarm e!pressed b. Israel a ter hearing Iranian President /ahmoud "hmadine1ad proclaim@ "This origin o corruption GIsraelH -ill soon be -iped o the 4arth)s aceK" and ".atollah "li ,hamene)i@ Iran)s *upreme +eader@ declaring@ "Israel is a cancerous tumor. *o -hat do .ou do -ith a cancerous tumorL 'hat can be done to treat a tumor other than removing itL" *ome argue Iran -ould never launch a nuclear attac5 against Israel because no /uslim leader -ould ris5 an Israeli counterstri5e that might destro. them. This theor. doesn)t hold up@ ho-ever@ i the Iranian leaders believe there -ill be destruction an.-a. at the end o time. 'hat matters@ /iddle 4ast e!pert 0ernard +e-is observed@ is that in idels go to hell and believers go to heaven. +e-is Juotes a passage rom ".atollah ,homeini@ cited in an ##th grade Iranian schoolboo5@ "I am decisivel. announcing to the -hole -orld that i the -orld-devourers Gthe in idel po-ersH -ish to stand against our religion@ -e -ill stand against the -hole -orld and -ill not cease until the annihilation o all o them. 4ither -e all become ree@ or -e -ill go to the greater reedom@ -hich is mart.rdom. 4ither -e sha5e one another)s hands in 1o. at the victor. o Islam in the -orld@ or all o us -ill turn to eternal li e and mart.rdom. In both cases@ victor. and success are ours."(&& Iranian President /ahmoud "hmadine1ad@ believes the most important tas5 o the Iranian :evolution -as to prepare the -a. or the return o the T-el th Imam@ -ho disappeared in &;%@ thus bringing an end to /uhammad)s lineage.*hiites believe this imam@ the /ahdi or "divinel. guided one@" -ill return in an apocal.ptic battle in -hich the orces o righteousness -ill de eat the orces o evil and bring about a ne- era in -hich *hi)a Islam ultimatel. becomes the dominant religion throughout the -orld. The *hiites have been -aiting patientl. or the T-el th Imam or more than a thousand .ears@ but "hmadine1ad ma. believe he can no- hasten the return

through a nuclear -ar. It is this apocal.ptic -orld vie-@ +e-is notes@ that distinguishes Iran rom other governments -ith nuclear -eapons. There are those -ho thin5 that Iran -ould never use such -eapons against Israel because innocent /uslims -ould be 5illed as -ell; ho-ever@ ".atollah "li "5bar 9ashemi-:a san1ani@ "hmadine1ad)s predecessor@ e!plicitl. said he -asn)t concerned about allout rom an attac5 on Israel. "I a da. comes -hen the -orld o Islam is dul. eJuipped -ith the arms Israel has in its possession@" he said@ "the strateg. o colonialism -ould ace a stalemate because application o an atomic bomb -ould not leave an.thing in Israel but the same thing -ould 1ust produce damages inthe /uslim -orld." "s one Iranian commentator noted@ :a san1ani apparentl. -asn)t concerned that the destruction o the 7e-ish *tate -ould also result in the mass murder o Palestinians as -ell.(&$ Iran -ill not have to use nuclear -eapons to in luence events in the region. 0. possessing a nuclear capabilit.@ theIranians can deter Israel or an. other nation rom attac5ing Iran or its allies. 'hen 9e?bollah attac5ed Israel in (00<@ or e!ample@ a nuclear Iran could have threatened retaliation against Tel "viv i Israeli orces bombed 0eirut. The mere threat o using nuclear -eapons -ould be su icient to drive Israelis into shelters and could cripple the econom.. 'ill immigrants -ant to come to a countr. that lives in the shado- o annihilationL 'ill companies -ant to do business under those conditionsL 'ill Israelis be -illing to live under a nuclear cloudL I .ou -ere the prime minister o Israel@ -ould .ou ta5e seriousl. threats to destro. Israel b. someone -ho might soon have the capabilit. to carr. them outL 3ould .ou a ord to ta5e the ris5 o allo-ing Iran to acJuire nuclear -eaponsL 9olong -ould .ou -ait or sanctions or other international measures to -or5 be ore acting unilaterall. to de end .our countr.L

MYTH: The Palestinians are no- read. to ma5e peace -ith Israel. A"3T
In his irst comments as "merica>s ne- *ecretar. o *tate@ 7ohn ,err. said that pursuing Israeli-Palestinian peace-ould be one o his top priorities. "*o much o -hat -e aspire to achieve and -hat -e need to do globall.@ -hat -e need to do in the /aghreb and *outh "sia@ *outh 3entral "sia@ throughout the Dul @ all o this is tied to -hat can or doesn)t happen -ith respect to Israel-Palestine. "nd in some places it)s used as an e!cuse. In other places it)s a genuine@ deepl. elt challenge."($0 ,err.)s statement -as alarming because it represented the long discredited *tate =epartment vie- that the Palestinian issue is the root o all /iddle 4ast problems and ignored the turmoil in the region unrelated to the Palestinian issue@ including threats rom al-Maeda@ unrest in IraJ@ ongoing ighting -ith the Taliban in " ghanistan@ ne- terror threats in 2orth " rica@ *.ria in lames@ 4g.pt on the verge

o chaos@ and most important@ Iran nearing the abilit. to build a nuclear -eapon. The timing also -as dubious because o the public pronouncements o the Palestinians. 7ust a e- months ago at the8nited 2ations@ /ahmoud "bbas gave a vitriolic speech accusing Israel o Eone o the most dread ul campaigns o ethnic cleansing and dispossession in modern histor.;F o unprovo5ed EaggressionF in Da?a; and o Ean apartheid s.stem o colonial occupation@ -hich institutionali?es the plague o racism.F($# "re these the -ords o a leader interested in peaceL *imilarl.@ in =ecember (0#(@ 9amas leader ,haled /ashaal used his irst visit to Da?a to declareB EArom the sea to the river@ rom north to south@ -e -ill not give up an. part o Palestine N it is our countr.@ our right and our homeland.F 9e added that Palestinians are Eall united in the -a. o resistance.F($( The situation is even -orse given that "bbas -ants to reconcile -ith 9amas@ -hich has repeatedl. stated it -ill not accept a Palestinian state alongside Israel@ and the Palestinian public opinion supports 9amas. In a =ecember (0#( poll@ or e!ample@ %#O o the Palestinians thin5 that armed attac5s on arm. and settlers can orce Israel to -ithdra- rom the territories; -hile (%O thin5 peace ul non-violent resistance can orce Israelis to -ithdra- and 30O thin5 that negotiations -ith Israel can bring it to -ithdra-.($3 'hen Palestinians -ere as5ed@ given the outcome o the -ar bet-een 9amas and Israel and the 82 recognition o a Palestinian state@ -hose -a. is the best to end the Israeli occupation and build a Palestinian stateB 9amas> -a. or "bbas>s -a.@ <0O sa. 9amas> -a. and (&O "bbas> -a.. 0. contrast@ more than <0O o Israelis said the. -ere -illing to give up some or all o the 'est 0an5.($% 4ver.one in Israel longs or peace@ so the *ecretar. -ill not be turned a-a. or discouraged; nevertheless@ he should not be blind to regional realities and recent histor.. Israeli nerves still ra- rom absorbing thousands o Palestinian terror roc5ets and seeing hal their population orced to be on constant alert. 4ven the most dovish Israelis are un-illing to ma5e concessions in the 'est 0an5 unless the. have securit. guarantees that -ill prevent the territor. rom becoming another 9amistan terror base. 2evertheless@ Prime /inister 0en1amin 2etan.ahu has repeatedl. invited "bbas or negotiations@ and "bbas has spent the last our .ears re1ecting the overtures@ doing ever.thing in his po-er to subvert a negotiated settlement and tr.ing to convince the international communit. to impose Palestinian terms on Israel. *ecretar. ,err. needs to ma5e clear to the Palestinians that their onl. chance or statehood is through direct tal5s -ith Israel; that 9amas cannot be a part o the Palestinian leadership; that the Palestinian "uthorit. must cease incitement@ and demonstrate through -ords and deeds a commitment to the t-o-state solution; and that the 8nited *tates -ill not accept e!cuses or preconditions to negotiations. ,err. should also reassure Israelis that he understands the Da?a precedent@ the nestrategic dangers the. ace rom their neighbors@ and the necessit. o eliminating

the Iranian threat be ore Israelis can be e!pected to ta5e ne- ris5s or peace.

MYTH: "ttac5ing Iran -ill create more instabilit. in the /iddle 4ast. A"3T
/ore instabilit.LK 9ave the proponents o this idea been ollo-ing the ne-s or the last t-o .earsL 4ven in the best o times@ the /iddle 4ast is an unstable region because o ongoing disputes bet-een various "rab states. 2o-@ an increased level o chaos has spread across the region as a result o upheavals in 2orth " rica@Iemen and the Persian Dul @ continuing unrest in IraJ and " ghanistan@ and a blood. civil -ar in *.ria. "mong the possible -orst case scenarios@ it is conceivable that a militar. stri5e on Iran -ould cause a bac5lash among peoples in the region angered b. an attac5 on a /uslim nation; it ma. unite the Iranian people in de ense o their countr.; or@ current rulers o conservative regimes ma. come under attac5 or complicit. in the attac5. The conseJuences o a stri5e could@ ho-ever@ have positive conseJuences or the region. The Israeli militar. stri5es on nuclear acilities in IraJ (#$&#) and *.ria ((00;)@ or e!ample@ did not provo5e greater instabilit. in the /iddle 4ast despite lac5ing an. international consensus. 0oth attac5s eliminated potentiall. destabili?ing nuclear -eapons programs and discouraged a nuclear arms race in the region. "rab leaders no- are petri ied o a nuclear Iran and -ill@ at least tacitl.@ support measures that -ould eliminate Iran>s nuclear threat.($6 'hile the negative scenario envisions the Iranian population rall.ing around its leaders in the event o a militar. stri5e@ it is also possible that@ -hen liberated rom the intimidation o the mullahs@ the Iranian people -ill launch a EPersian *pringF demanding reedom and democrac. rom their government. Iran>s *upreme +eader ".atollah ,hamenei is obviousl. nervous about this possibilit.@ noting in "pril (0#( that he believes +ib.a>s abandonment o its nuclear program in (003 eventuall. hastened the overthro- o Madda i.($< In the short-term@ an attac5 on Iran might have a deleterious impact on oil prices as speculators react to the possibilit. o reduced supplies; ho-ever@ in the long-term@ an attac5 could actuall. help stabili?e the oil mar5et as it -ould hamper Iran>s abilit. to threaten global oil supplies and -ea5en its position -ithin OP43@ -here it has advocated stricter Juotas to drive up prices. " success ul stri5e on Iran could also help ree t-o countries that have been under its thumb or three decades. 'ithout the support o the radical *hiite leaders in Iran@ *.rian President 0ashar al-"ssad -ill lose his principal patron in the region and *.ria -ill no longer serve as a or-ard Iranian base or harboring terrorists and inter ering in the a airs o +ebanon. The all o Iran>s leadership -ould also put an

end to its support or 9e?bollah in +ebanon@ e ectivel. th-arting the organi?ation>s abilit. to terrori?e Israel and control +ebanese a airs. Aurthermore@ destro.ing the Iranian nuclear program -ould eliminate the threat o Iranian sponsored nuclear terrorism and proli eration@ and -ould signal to the rest o the region that nuclear -eapons programs -ill not be tolerated. This outcome is especiall. important in light o nuclear agreements signed b. more than a do?en "rab countries in response to Iran>s continued nuclear developments. It is eas. or opponents o militar. action to construct nightmare scenarios that -ill scare the public and s-a. -orld leaders a-a. rom con rontation -ith Iran. 9o-ever@ militar. planners and statesmen must anal.?e the current situation ob1ectivel. and -eigh the ris5 o a negative outcome@ as -ell as the danger posed b. inaction@ against the potential bene its o a proactive stri5e against Iran.

MYTH: I the Israeli-Palestinian con lict -as solved@ the /iddle 4ast -ould be at peace. A"3T
" cardinal vie- o "rabists is that the Israeli-Palestinian con lict is the core o all /iddle 4ast problems. "ccording to /iddle 4ast scholar /artin ,ramer@ this " lin5age" theor. holds that the Israeli-Palestinian issue@ practicall. alone@ prompts the rise o terrorists@ -ea5ens riendl. governments@ and ma5es it impossible or the 8nited *tates to -in "rabs and /uslims over to the good cause. ($; Though this doctrine has been proven erroneous@ President Obama>snominee or *ecretar. o =e ense@ 3huc5 9agel@ continues to adhere to this discredited vie-point. "The core o all challenges in the /iddle 4ast remains the underl.ing "rab-Israeli con lict@" 9agel said in (00<. "The ailure to address this root cause -ill allo- 9e?bollah@ 9amas@ and other terrorists to continue to sustain popular /uslim and "rab support."($& In (00&@ 9agel too5 this vie- even urther@ noting that the Israeli-Palestinian con lict "cannot be loo5ed at in isolation. +i5e a stone dropped into a placid la5e@ its ripples e!tend out ather and ather.4g.pt@ *.ria@ 7ordan@ and +ebanon eel the e ects most noticeabl.. Aarther still@ " ghanistan and Pa5istan; an.thing that impacts their political stabilit. also a ects the t-o emerging economic superpo-ers@ India and 3hina."($$ "s events across the /iddle 4ast have sho-n@ ho-ever@ the Israeli-Palestinian con lict is but one o man. ethnic@ religious and nationalist euds plaguing the region@ most o -hich are independent o each other. 9ere is but a partial list o con licts that have occurred in the /iddle 4ast over the past t-o and a hal decadesB the Iran-IraJ 'ar(#$&0-&&); the Airst Dul 'ar (#$$#); the +ebanese 3ivil 'ar (#$;6-$0); the *udanese 3ivil 'ar (#$&3-(000); the ""rab *pring" upheavals ((0##- ); and the ongoing *.rian 3ivil 'ar ((0##- ). 2one o these are connected to the Palestinian issue.

""lmost ever. border in that part o the -orld@ rom +ib.a to Pa5istan@ rom Tur5e. to Iemen@ is either ill-de ined or in dispute@" scholar =aniel Pipes notes in his boo5 The +ong *hado-@ "0ut "mericans tend to 5no- onl. about Israel>s border problems and do not reali?e that these it into a pattern that recurs across the /iddle 4ast."300 I the Israeli-Palestinian problem -as solved@ it -ould have either minimal or no impact on the man. intra-"rab rivalries or the Iranian nuclear threat to the region. *unnis and *hiites -ould still be competing or in luence@ as -ill secularists and undamentalists@ and a host o other con licts -ould remain una ected b. a change in relations bet-een Israelis and Palestinians. /oreover@ espousing lin5age ma. have a deleterious impact on the /iddle 4ast@ as it could "lead to panic5ed overreaction -henever Israelis and "rabs do e!change blo-s."30# The achievement o a peace agreement -ill also have little impact on regional disputes. Israel -ill still have to remain vigilant to ensure that a Palestinian state does not become a threat or the irst stage o the polic. o liberating "greater" Palestine over time. Peace -ith the Palestinians ma. be a catal.st or regional peace@ but it is no guarantee that *.ria or +ebanon -ill change their policies to-ard Israel@ especiall. i Iran continues to in luence their behavior and 9e?bollah remains in po-er and committed to Israel>s destruction. Aurthermore@ a treat. -ith the Palestinians -ould not satis . the Iranians> desire to "-ipe Israel o the map."
EOur leaders should have a realistic as o!!osed to a "realist" u#dersta#di#$ o% the root causes o% Middle East stri%e& Ho' ca# the( !rotect us %ro) threats i% the( do#*t u#dersta#d the causes o% these threats+ Decades o% dictatorshi!, -#ot the .ra/ Israeli co#%lict0, /rou$ht the Middle East to its curre#t co#ditio#, alo#$ 'ith )iso$(#(, !oor educatio#, corru!tio#, the !olitici1i#$ o% Isla) a#d sectaria# hatred&2 3e%%re( 4old/er$ 302

MYTH: Israel has created separate bus lines to segregate 7e-s and Palestinians. A"3T
+eave it to the Palestinians to turn an Israeli accommodation to ma5e their lives better into a political attac5. The latest e!ample relates to Israel>s decision to create a bus line e!clusivel. or Palestinians to e!pedite their travel intoIsrael to -or5@ -hich some Palestinians and their supporters are no- claiming to be a polic. o segregation. The need or the ne- bus line -as created because Israel has signi icantl. increased the number o -or5 permits given to Palestinians and the e!isting bus lines have become overcro-ded. " ter .ears o being prevented rom -or5ing in Israel because o the Palestinian 'ar ((000-(006) and the -ave o terrorist attac5s@ Israel

has been graduall. easing restrictions on "rabs in the 'est 0an5@ and the number o Palestinians no- allo-ed to -or5 inIsrael is at or near the pre-ar levels. 'hile Israel>s detractors accuse Israel o mistreating Palestinians@ nearl. %0@000 no- go to -or5 each da. in Israel. /an. others@ parado!icall.@ -or5 in the 7e-ish settlements that their leaders castigate. 0e ore establishing the ne- lines@ Palestinian -or5ers had no direct line rom their communities to the border crossing. The. had a choice o traveling to an Israeli settlement and ta5ing a bus rom there into Israel or using EpirateF driving services that have been transporting Palestinian -or5ers b. circuitous routes Eat e!orbitant prices.F Than5s to the ne- buses@ the cost o traveling to Tel "viv -ill be reduced b. nearl. ;6 percent.303 'hile Israel maintains the ne- bus lines are a good-ill gesture@ critics have called it an e!ample o Israeli racism. In act@ the buses pic5 up Palestinians in "rab communities and have di erent endpoints than the buses the. used to ta5e. Aurthermore@ no Palestinians are prevented rom using the old buses@ -hich most disli5ed because the. had to travel -ith 7e-ish settlers. The settlers also had complained about -hat the. vie-ed as a securit. threat rom riding -ith Palestinians rom the 'est 0an5. Palestinian -or5ers agree -ith Israeli o icials that the ne- buses ma5e their lives much easier. The Times o IsraelreportedB E9undreds o laborers gathered at the 4.al chec5point be ore da-n to ta5e advantage o the ne- service. Outside o some overcro-ding rom heavier-than-e!pected demand@ e- problems -ere reported@ and riders seemed pleased -ith the nearrangement.F 305 2ot onl. did Israeli o icials discover there -eren>t enough buses to meet the demand@ but Palestinian -or5ers reJuested additional buses to run on Arida.s so the. -ould not have to pa. Epirates.F306 The attitudes o Palestinian -or5ers might best be summari?ed b. 2aim +i ta-i@ a %0-.ear-old emplo.ee at an upholster. actor. in , ar *ava@ Ethe GcriticsH can sa. -hat the. -ant@ as long as I)m sa e on the bus. I 1ust -ant to put bread on the table or m. children.307 8n ortunatel.@ the buses have alread. come under attac5. 8n5no-n assailants set ire to t-o buses on the ne- line on /arch 6@ (0#3.308

MYTH: The 4uropean 8nion has no reason to name 9e?bollah a terrorist organi?ation. A"3T
Aor decades@ the 4uropeans have ta5en a Ehead in the sandF approach to recogni?ing the obvious C that 9e?bollahis a terrorist organi?ation. I 9e?bollah>s terror attac5s -ere limited to the /iddle 4ast@ 4uropean leaders might have cause to suggest the group does not threaten them@ but the truth is that 9e?bollah is engaged in terror on

an international scale and has also 5illed internationals in +ebanon. In Aebruar. (0#3@ a ter an e!haustive investigation@ the 0ulgarian government announced that it believed 9e?bollah-as responsible or a 7ul. (0#( attac5 in the resort to-n o 0urgas that 5illed ive Israeli tourists and a 0ulgarian bus driver and in1ured do?ens more. "s 8.*. 2ational *ecurit. "dviser Thomas 4. =onilon observed@ EThis report is signi icant because a 4uropean 8nion member state@ 0ulgaria@ e!plicitl. pointed a inger at 9e?bollah and li ted the veil on the group>s continued terrorist activities. 4urope can no longer ignore the threat that this group poses to the 3ontinent and to the -orld.F30& /ost people orget that@ e!cluding the terrible events o $P##@ more "mericans have been 5illed b. 9e?bollah than an. other terrorist group. In #$&3@ 9e?bollah bombed the 8nited *tates 4mbass. in 0eirut@ 5illing <3 people. Then the group bombed the "merican and Arench /arine 0arrac5s in 0eirut@ 5illing (%# "mericans and 6& Arench service members. In #$$<@ 9e?bollah assisted in the ,hobar To-ers attac5 in *audi "rabia@ -hich 5illed #$ "mericans. *ubseJuentl.@ in #$$;@ 9e?bollah became one o the irst groups added to the *tate =epartment>s list o oreign terrorist organi?ations. 4ven be ore the 0ulgaria attac5@ 9e?bollah had a blood. record o international terror mar5ed b. 5idnappings@ airplane hi1ac5ings@ bombings in Paris and an attempted bombing in 0ang5o5. T-o o the group>s most heinous attac5s occurred thousands o miles rom the /iddle 4ast@ in 0uenos "ires. In #$$(@ 9e?bollah detonated a car bomb outside the Israeli 4mbass.@ 5illing ($ people and in1ured more than (60 others. "mong the victims -ere Israeli diplomats@ children@ clerg. rom a local church and other innocent b.standers. T-o .ears later@ 9e?bollahstruc5 again@ bombing the "sociaciQn /utual Israelita "rgentina ("/I") 7e-ish communit. center in 0uenos "ires - &; people -ere 5illed and more than #00 people -ere in1ured. 'ith the help o Iran and *.ria@ 9e?bollah has terrori?ed +ebanon and essentiall. ta5en over the countr.. 3urrentl.@ at ear o losing the patronage o 0ashar al"ssad and the *.rian arms smuggling routes@ 9e?bollah ighters have even 1oined in the de ense o the dictatorial regime. Diven its indisputable record o terror and the act that 8nited *tates@ Israel@ 3anada@ the 8,@ 4g.pt and 0ahrain all consider it a terrorist organi?ation@ it is hard to understand the reluctance o the 4uropean communit. to do the same. " number o e!cuses can be manu actured@ such as the traditional 4uropean ear o doing an.thing that might alienate the "rabs; the concern that 4uropean nationals serving in the peace5eeping orce in +ebanon could become targets; the desire not to complicate relations -ith 9e?bollah>s sponsor@ Iran; the ear o the Arench@ in particular@ o 1eopardi?ing their historic role in +ebanon; the specious argument that because 9e?bollah has a Epolitical -ing@F it is not a terror organi?ation; or@ the desire to 5eep channels o communication open. 9e?bollah>s reedom o action -ould be severel. restricted i the 48 labeled it a terrorist organi?ation; ho-ever@ this reJuires all (; member states to agree on the

designation. 8.*. *ecretar. o *tate 7ohn ,err. called on the 48 to act@ as have more than #00 members o the 8.*. 3ongress. =onilon called on the 4uropeans to respond s-i tl. to ensure no other attac5s occur in 4urope. 9e said the. Emust disrupt G9e?bollah>sH operational net-or5s@ stop lo-s o inancial assistance to the group@ crac5 do-n on 9e?bollah-lin5ed criminal enterprises and condemn the organi?ation>s leaders or their continued pursuit o terrorism.F 30$ Aollo-ing the 0ulgarian report on the 0urgas bombing@ 0ritish Aoreign *ecretar. 'illiam 9ague said EIt is important that the 48 respond robustl. to an attac5 on 4uropean soil.F 9ague promised to discuss -ith his 4uropean colleagues Emeasures -e can no- ta5e to continue to ma5e our citi?ens sa er.F3#0

MYTH: 2on-lethal Palestinian roc5et attac5s have no impact on Israel)s civilian population. A"3T
The .ears o roc5et attac5s rom 9amas terrorists in Da?a have given researchers an opportunit. to stud. their impact on the Israeli population that has come under ire. 'hile apologists or 9amas have do-npla.ed the severit. o the thousands o roc5ets and mortars that have been ired into Israel because o the lo- number o casualties@ the damage caused is ar more serious and -idespread than ne-s reports at the time o the attac5s suggest. The latest research inding to document the severit. o these terror attac5s ound that -omen in *derot had signi icantl. more miscarriages than those -ho are not e!posed to -arning sirens and missile barrages. In an article published in Ps.chosomatic /edicine 7ournal o 0io-0ehavioral /edicine@ Tamar 'ainstoc5 and Pro essor Ilana *hoham-Rardi o 0en-Durion 8niversit.)s =epartment o 4pidemiolog.@ suggested the increased number o miscarriages -as most li5el. attributable to the stress o living -ith the threat o a roc5et attac5.3## " ter eight .ears o roc5et attac5s@ health o icials are also reporting that Eman. residents have to be treated or hearing loss@ di??iness@ tinnitus@ andPor central auditor. processing disorders.F 3#( 2ot surprisingl.@ children have been especiall. traumati?ed b. the an!iet. and ear provo5ed b. the attac5s. It ta5es months o treatment to recover and a single roc5et attac5 during the therap. period can send the -hole process bac5 to sJuare one. "ccording to a (00& stud. conducted b. 2atal@ the Israel 3enter or Rictims o Terror and 'ar@ bet-een ;6 percent and $% percent o *derot children aged %-#& e!hibit s.mptoms o post-traumatic stress@ and (& percent o adults and 30 percent o children in *derot have post-traumatic stress disorder (PT*=). The distinction bet-een post-traumatic stress s.mptoms@ such as problems sleeping and concentrating@ and PT*= itsel @ is that the latter can inter ere seriousl. -ith dail.

li e. One o the goals o therapists is to tr. to prevent stress disorders be ore an. roc5et attac5s b. teaching adults and children ho- to reduce an!iet. in a place that is under ongoing danger.3#3 'hat do these statistics mean or the lives o children living under ireL 9ere are a e- e!amplesB In *derot it is no- normal practice to ta5e sho-ers in under a minute or ear that a siren -ill sound -hile the. are -ashing up. /usic is seldom pla.ed as it ma. bloc5 out the sound o the red alert@ and even seat belts are no longer -orn in cars because the. can restrict a Juic5 e!it. 'hen roc5et ire is more constant@ entire amilies -ill o ten live in bomb shelter or da.s on end.3#% Palestinian terrorism poses not onl. a ph.sical threat to Israelis@ but also a ps.chological one. The .ears o attac5s are no- ta5ing a toll@ especiall. on -omen and children.

MYTH: Israelis overreact to harmless roc5-thro-ing b. Palestinians. A"3T

O the man. E=avid versus DoliathF images that are portra.ed in the media to dramati?e the Israeli-Palestinian con lict@ the most common ma. be that o the helpless Palestinian thro-ing roc5s at heavil. armed Israeli soldiers. These images are po-er ul but also reJuentl. misleading@ ailing to distinguish bet-een the aggressor and the victim. 'hile the media is o ten dra-n to roc5-thro-ing riots against I=A troops (o ten staged b. Palestinian instigators)@ man. o these incidents occur be.ond the glare o media lights and are directed not at soldiers@ but 7e-ish men@ -omen and children@ o ten innocentl. driving along a road-a.. The E=avid vs. DoliathF imager. is t.picall. used to illustrate an underdog battling against a much greater po-er@ .et those appl.ing this analog. to the Palestinians ignore the act that =avid>s roc5 actuall. 5illed Doliath and mar5ed the beginning o the end to the rule o the Philistines in 0iblical Israel. Over the .ears@ Palestinian E=avidsF have 5illed man. 7e-s -ith their stones - but none o them -ere EDoliaths.F The media t.picall. ignores these near-dail. terror attac5s against 7e-s@ or signi icantl. do-npla.s their lethalit.. " /arch (0#3 cover article in the 2e- Ior5 Times> *unda. /aga?ine@ or e!ample@ called Palestinian roc5 thro-ers EunarmedF resisters.3#6 3hristian *cience /onitor re erred to the tactic as "peace ul palestinian resistance" -hile the +os "ngeles Times labelled roc5 thro-ers as EPalestinians -ho see nonviolence as their -eapon.F3#<

The incidents o /arch #%@ (0#3@ ho-ever dispel the alse notion that roc5-thro-ing is nonviolent or harmless. That da.@ a -oman -as driving -ith her three .oung daughters past the cit. o "riel -hen a group o Palestinians thre- roc5s at a truc5 coming in the other direction. The truc5 s-erved and collided -ith the amil.>s car@ in1uring the mother and the t-o older daughters. The .oungest@ a three-.ear-old child@ -as criticall. in1ured@ and doctors are still tr.ing to save her li e. 3#; +ater that same night@ on the same high-a.@ a #0-month-old bab. -as in1ured -hen roc5s thro-n at his parents> car shattered the -indshield. 3#& These are but t-o e!amples@ but man. more can be cited in -hich Palestinian roc5 thro-ers have murdered@ or attempted to murder@ innocent 7e-s. Aor e!ampleB October (0#3B 4ight Israelis and a Palestinian child -ere in1ured -hen Palestinian .ouths hurled large roc5s and cement bloc5s at vehicles traveling near al-Aa-ar@ south o 9ebron.3#&a 2ovember (0#(B Siona ,alla@ -i e o Israeli singer It?i5 ,alla@ sustained serious in1uries as a result o stones hurled at her car b. Palestinians near 0eitar Illit. *eptember (0##B "sher Palmer and his #-.ear-old son -ere 5illed in a stone-thro-ing attac5 near,ir.at "rba. T-o Palestinians rom the nearb. village o 9alhul admitted to instigating the attac5. 'aal al-"ra1a C a member o the Palestinian securit. orces -- -as convicted o murder in the case in /arch (0#3.3#$ 7une (00#B Aive-month-old Iehuda 9aim *hoham>s amil. -as returning rom visiting relatives in:a)anana -hen a Palestinian thre- a roc5 at the ront -indshield that hit and 5illed bab. Iehuda in the bac5 seat.3(0 /a. (00#B ,ob. /andell (#3) and Iose Ishran (#%) -ere beaten to death -ith roc5s -hen the. -ere hi5ing on the outs5irts o Te5oa. Their bodies -ere ound in a cave@ covered -ith stones. The perpetrators have still not been ound.3(# October (000B 0achor 7ean (6%) -as 5illed b. roc5s thro-n at his vehicle -hile he -as travelling rom 9ai a to :ishon +e?ion. The roc5s shattered the -indshield and struc5 his chest. 9is brother@ -ho -as driving the car@ sped to the hospital but -as too late. The perpetrators -ere ound to be rom the nearb. "rab village 7isar a-Sar5a.3(( 7anuar. #$&3B 4sther Ohana ((#) -as 5illed b. a roc5 thro-n at her car that hit her in the head -hile driving near the Palestinian village =ahari.a. In (0#3 alone@ the I=A has alread. recorded #@#$6 roc5 thro-ing incidents in the 'est 0an5.3(3 2o one should be ooled into believing stone-thro-ing is harmless or a orm o non-violent protest; roc5s are -eapons used b. Palestinians to in1ure and 5ill Israeli 7e-s.

MYTH: 2o- is a good time to revive the "rab peace initiative. A"3T
8.*. *ecretar. o *tate 7ohn ,err. has made no secret o his desire to 1umpstart the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Press reports have suggested that to do so he ma. attempt to convince the parties in the region to reconsider the so-called "rab peace initiative. 9o-ever@ -ith all o the necessar. parties ocused on regional turmoil and threats rom the instabilit. in 4g.pt to the civil -ar in *.ria to the Iranian nuclear program - this does not seem to be a propitious time to push Israel to ma5e dangerous concessions to neighbors -ho sho- no ne- interest in peace. In act@ rather than e!panding peace@ the greater ear at the moment is that the Israeli-4g.ptian peace treat. might unravel. 0e.ond the current atmosphere@ the substance o the "rab peace proposal is problematic. 'hen the plan -as originall. announced in (00(@ Israel said it -as prepared to negotiate -ith the "rab states but that man. o their demands -ere simpl. unacceptable. It is -orth remembering that *audi 3ro-n Prince "bdullah presented a vision o peace at a time -hen the *audis -ere under scrutin. or their involvement in the $P## attac5s and -ere desperate to pro1ect themselves globall. as peacema5ers not supporters o terror. "bdullah>s plan -as subseJuentl. revised and adopted b. the "rab +eague as a peace initiative that o ered Israel "normal relations" in e!change or a -ithdra-al to the pre-#$<; EDreen +ineF and a resolution o the Palestinian re ugee issue. The "ne-" initiative -as actuall. a restatement o the "rab interpretation o 82 :esolution (%(@ namel. that Israel must -ithdra- rom EallF territories captured during the *i! =a. 'ar o #$<;. The resolution@ ho-ever@ onl. calls on Israel to -ithdra- rom territories@ not "all" the territories@ in e!change or peace. "dditionall.@ :esolution (%( states that ever. nations has the right to live -ithin "secure and recogni?able boundaries@" -hich militar. anal.sts have understood to mean the pre-#$<; armistice lines@ -ith modi ications@ to guarantee Israel) securit.. Incidentall.@ the resolution does not put precedence or one or the other@ rather holds them as eJual principles. Israel@ there ore@ is under no legal obligation to -ithdrabe ore the "rabs agree to live in peace. The "rab plan calls or Israel to -ithdra- speci icall. rom the Dolan 9eights. In the past@ Israel e!pressed a -illingness to do so@ but no- that roc5ets are being ired across the border and the *.rian arm. has lost control o the surrounding area@ no Israeli government -ould contemplate -ithdra-ing rom the strategic high ground. The plan>s demand that Israel -ithdra- rom "the remaining occupied +ebanese

territories in the south o +ebanon" is not onl. ingenuous@ but at odds -ith the 82 conclusion that Israel has completel. ul illed its obligation to -ithdra- rom +ebanese territor.. The "rab initiative also calls or a 1ust solution to the Palestinian re ugee problem based on 82 Deneral "ssembl. :esolution #$%@ a resolution the "rab states all voted against. The "rabs interpret the resolution as reJuiring Israel to allo- all o the nearl. ive million Palestinians -ho claim re ugee status to move to Israel. In act@ the 82 recogni?ed that Israel could not be e!pected to repatriate a hostile population that might endanger its securit.. The solution to the problem@ li5e all previous re ugee problems@ -ould reJuire at least some Palestinians to be resettled in "rab lands. Israel has agreed to allo- some Palestinian re ugees to move to Israel on a humanitarian basis and as part o amil. reuni ication. Thousands have alread. been admitted this -a.. The re ugee issue -as not part o "bdullah)s original proposal and -as added later under pressure rom other "rab delegations. "lso@ it is important to note that :esolution (%( sa.s nothing about the Palestinians and the re erence to re ugees can also be applied to the 7e-s -ho led and -ere driven rom their homes in "rab countries. "nother change rom "bdullah)s previousl. stated vision -as a retreat rom a promise o ull normali?ation o relations -ith Israel to an even vaguer pledge o "normal relations." The "rab demand that Israel accept the establishment o a Palestinian *tate in the 'est 0an5 and Da?a -ith 4ast 7erusalem as its capital has been part o the negotiations since Oslo. Israel)s leaders have accepted the idea o creating a Palestinian state in part o those territories and o ered to evacuate as much as $; percent o the 'est 0an5 in e!change or peace; ho-ever@ the Palestinians have re1ected all o Israel>s compromises. It is also -orth noting that most o the "rab +eague nations have no reason not to be at peace -ith Israel no-. Israel holds none o their territor. and is more than -illing to ma5e peace -ith the members o the +eague. I the "rab proponents o the plan -ere sincere@ the response should be that the. are prepared to sit do-n -ith Israel>s leaders and discuss ho- to overcome the disagreements. 0ut this has not been the "rab response. :ather than accept an Israeli invitation to come to 7erusalem to negotiate or e!ploit the -illingness o Israel>s leaders to go to an "rab capital or tal5s@ the "rabs have told Israel it must accept the plan or ace the threat o -ar. Peace plans are not -orth the paper the. are printed on i the proponents continue to tal5 about -ar and pursue policies such as supporting terrorists@ arming radical /uslims@ inciting their populations -ith anti-*emitic propaganda and en orcing bo.cotts that promote con lict.

Progress to-ard real peace reJuires the "rab states to sho- b. -ords and deeds that the. are committed to inding a ormula or coe!isting -ith Israel. The onl. ultimatum should be that i the irst e orts to reach an understanding do not succeed@ the. -ill tr. and tr. again.

MYTH: The Palestinian "uthorit. is committed to re orming Palestinian societ.. A"3T

"t the end o /arch (0#3@ Palestinian "uthorit. President /ahmoud "bbas signed the P">s (0#3 iscal .ear budget@ -hich totals T3.$ billion in spending. =espite persistent complaints o insu icient unds to meet the P">s obligations@ economic stagnation@ the ailure o "rab donors to ma5e good on their aid pledges@ and a recurring debt o more than T# billion@ "bbas increased the budget b. nearl. T%00 million over (0#(.3(% 0e.ond the increase in e!penditures and the over-reliance on oreign aid to cover spending@ the (0#3 budget also reveals the priorities o the Palestinian government. " -hopping (& percent is allocated or de ense@ more than the sums budgeted or education (#< percent) and medical services (#0 percent) combined. 3(6 0. comparison@ Israelallocates #$O o its budget on de ense@ 0ritain 6.&O@ Derman. 3.<O@ 7ordan #%.&O@ 4g.pt <.3O@ Iran ;.$O andTur5e. 3.;O.3(< The P" lac5s a ormal arm.@ does not maintain an o icial state o -ar -ith an. countr.- including Israel@ and aces no militar. threats e!cept rom internal political rivals.3(; *o -here does the P" plan to spend nearl. one-third o its budgetL /uch o the mone. -ill go to bu. the lo.alt. o <6@000 Ede ense -or5ersFC %# percent o all the P">s civil servants C despite the act that more than hal o these -or5ers live in the 9amas-ruled Da?a *trip and pa. no ta!es to the :amallah-based Palestinian "uthorit..3(& 9o- does this budget re lect an interest in peace -ith IsraelL The P" might 1usti . some o the cost i it -as allocated or preventing terror and incitement@ but@ instead@ % percent o the budget actuall. goes to pa. EsalariesF o convicted terrorists -ho are currentl. incarcerated in Israeli 1ails. Pa.ments to these convicts range rom roughl. T#@#00 to T3@300 depending on the length o their sentence.3($ /ean-hile@ it is Israel that carries most o the burden o preventing Palestinian terror. 3uriousl.@ though "bbas is a vocal advocate to-ard the plight o Palestinian re ugees@ no mone. -as allocated in the budget to build permanent housing or the nearl. &00@000 Palestinians living in #$ re ugee camps under the P">s control in the 'est 0an5.330 4ven a ter being responsible or the -el are o these people or almost %0 .ears@ Palestinian leaders still pre er to use them as pa-ns to e!empli .

victimi?ation and to be encouraged b. their environment to become terrorists. Perhaps more outrageous than the P" budget is the act that it is almost completel. dependent on oreign aid rom 'estern donors -hose values the Palestinians> re1ect. 8.*. ta!pa.ers have contributed more than T% billion to subsidi?e people -ho are engaged in terror and have 5illed "mericans; -ho do not believe in reedom o speech@ religion@ the press or assembl.@ and routinel. abuse the rights o -omen and ga.s. Is there an. other government in the -orld that so clearl. re1ects our values and inter eres -ith our interests that receives this level o inancial aidL I .ou ans-ered@ 4g.pt@ .ou correctl. identi ied the onl. other e!ample. 9o- much longer -ill 'estern nations be e!pected to inanciall. and politicall. support a Palestinian leader -ho dra ts a budget based on mone. he doesn>t have@ and devotes nearl. a third o its resources to de ense rather than meeting the social needs o his peopleL 9o- much longer -ill 'estern nations prop up a leader -ho re uses tonegotiate -ith Israel and has onl. dragged the Palestinians urther do-n the road to perpetual con lictL

MYTH: *.ria>s chemical -eapons pose no threat outside o *.ria. A"3T

'hile the -orld rightl. ocuses on the dangers posed b. Iran>s nuclear program@ the threat rom other radical countries that possess -eapons o mass destruction ('/=s) C namel.@ chemical and biological -eapons C has largel. been ignored. "side rom those -ho monitor the proli eration and storage o these -eapons@ most people are li5el. una-are that a number o /iddle 4ast countries possess these deadl. agents. *addam 9ussein -as the onl. /iddle 4astern leader 5no-n to have used chemical -eapons - against his o-n people C until "pril (0#3@ -hen intelligence reports con irmed that 0ashar "ssad>s *.rian regime used sarin gas against rebel orces.33# This nerve agent@ -hich inter eres -ith the unctioning o glands and muscles in the bod.@ is potentiall. lethal. *.ria has one o the largest chemical -eapons caches in the region. These agents include sarin@ tabun@ RU and mustard gas.33( 0e.ond the humanitarian concern or protecting innocent *.rians rom contamination@ international ears are gro-ing that these -eapons are not -ell guarded and could be acJuired and used b. rebel orces. 4speciall. -orrisome is the possibilit. that radical /uslim elements@ such as rebels associated -ith al-Maida@ could get their hands on these '/=>s and use them against regime orces or as -eapons o terror against Israel or other enemies. "ssuming that most@ i not all@ o these -eapons remain in the countr.@ the ne!t leader o *.ria -ill assume control over them. 8ntil the current civil -ar@ the "ssad regime built up its stoc5piles but never used them; ho-ever@ there is no

assurance a uture leader -ill resist the temptation to use '/=s against oreign or domestic enemies. "nother ear is that "ssad or his Iranian allies ma. tr. to trans er '/=>s to 9e?bollah@ or that 9e?bollah ighters inside *.ria could steal them. Israel has said this -ould be a threat to its securit. and that it -ould act to prevent9e?bollah rom acJuiring '/=s.333 'estern countries and *.ria>s "rab neighbors are also concerned about the securit. o *.ria>s non-conventional -eapons and their use against innocent people. In "ugust (0#(@ 8.*. President 0arac5 Obama said the use or movement o chemical -eapons -ould be Ea redline or us and that there -ould be enormous conseJuencesV.That -ould change m. calculations signi icantl..F33% 9e reiterated in "pril (0#3 that *.ria>s use o chemical -eapons -ould be Ea game changerF because it meant more attac5s could be launched against civilians and the probabilit. that the -eapons could all into the -rong hands -ould increase.336 2o- that 0ritish@ Arench@ Matari@ "merican and Israeli intelligence agencies have con irmed the use o chemical -eapons in *.ria@ the -orld is -aiting to see -hether President Obama -ill act on his ultimatum. I Obama ails to act a ter setting the red line@ it -ill send a message to Iran and other enemies o the 8nited *tates that "merican threats need not be ta5en seriousl..33<

MYTH: Israel has re used to discuss a compromise on the uture o 7erusalem. A"3T
7erusalem -as never the capital o an. "rab entit.. Palestinians have no special claim to the cit.; the. simpl. demand it as their capital. 2evertheless@ Israel has recogni?ed that the cit. has a large Palestinian population@ that the cit. is important to /uslims@ and that ma5ing concessions on the sovereignt. o the cit. might help minimi?e the con lict -ith the Palestinians. The Palestinians@ ho-ever@ have sho-n no reciprocal appreciation or the 7e-ish ma1orit. in the cit.@ the signi icance o 7erusalem to the 7e-ish people or the act that it is alread. the nation>s capital. The Israeli-Palestinian =eclaration o Principles (=oP) signed in #$$3 le t open the status o 7erusalem. "rticle R said onl. that 7erusalem is one o the issues to be discussed in the permanent status negotiations.
9.#(o#e 'ho reli#:uishes a si#$le i#ch o% 3erusale) is #either a# .ra/ #or a Musli)&2 Yasser .ra%at338

/ost Israelis oppose dividing 7erusalem; still@ e orts have been made to ind some compromise that could satis . Palestinian interests. Aor e!ample@ -hile the +abor

Part. -as in po-er@ ,nesset /ember Iossi 0eilin reportedl. reached a tentative agreement that -ould allo- the Palestinians to claim the cit. as their capital -ithout Israel sacri icing sovereignt. over its capital. 0eilin>s idea -as to allo- the Palestinians to set up their capital in a 'est 0an5 suburb o 7erusalem N "bu =is. The P" subseJuentl. constructed a building or its parliament in the cit.. Prime /inister 4hud 0ara5 o ered dramatic concessions that -ould have allo-ed the "rab neighborhoods o 4ast 7erusalem to become the capital o a Palestinian state@ and le t the Palestinians in control over the /uslim hol. places on the Temple /ount. These ideas -ere discussed at the 'hite 9ouse *ummit in =ecember (000@ but re1ected b.Iasser "ra at. In (00&@ Prime /inister 4hud Olmert o ered a peace plan that included the partitioning o 7erusalem on a demographic basis. "bbas re1ected the o er. Arom (00$ until the present (/a. (0#3)@ "bbas has re used to negotiate despite our .ears o ca1oling b. President Obama. Israeli Prime /inister 0en1amin 2etan.ahu has repeatedl. o ered to immediatel. resume tal5s -ithout preconditions to no avail. 4ven a ter Israel placed a ten-month moratorium on settlement construction in the 'est 0an5@ "bbas re used to sit -ith the Israeli leaders. :ather than advance the peace process@ the Palestinians have obstructed it at ever. turn@ and sought to circumvent direct tal5s b. see5ing international support or their positions. "bbas)s chie negotiator *aeb 4re5at called on the "rab countries to suspend the "rab peace initiative and called on the international communit. to isolate Israel."bbas@ mean-hile@ said he hoped the Obama "dministration -ould orce 2etan.ahu out o o ice and declared his -illingness to -ait .ears until that happened.33; " ter reali?ing that Obama -ould not orce Israel to capitulate to their demands@ ho-ever@ "bbas has loo5ed to the 82 to impose them. 2ot onl. has "bbas re used to consider an. compromise on 7erusalem. /ean-hile@ he has repeatedl. tried to reconcile -ith the 9amas terrorists controlling Da?a. 9amas has made clear it -ill not negotiate or compromise -ith Israel and that 7erusalem@ li5e the rest o EPalestineF is Islamic land that must be under /uslim control. "Palestine - all o Palestine - is rom the sea to the river. 'e -on)t relinJuish one inch o the land o Palestine. The involvement o 9amas at an. stage -ith the interim ob1ective o liberation o Gonl.H Da?a@ the 'est 0an5@ or 7erusalem@ does not replace its strategic vie- concerning Palestine and the land o Palestine." 33< In (0#3@ 8.*. *ecretar. o *tate 7ohn ,err. tried to revive interest in the (00( "rab Peace Initiative. 9opes -ere raised -hen "rab o icials suggested the. -ould be prepared to accept border modi ications@ reversing their insistence that Israel -ithdra- to the #$%$ armistice line. On 7erusalem@ ho-ever@ the plan remains unacceptable to Israel. The "rab Peace Initiative states that the "rab states and Israel -ill Eaccept the establishment o an independent and sovereign Palestinian state on the Palestinian

territories occupied since % 7une #$<; in the 'est 0an5 and Da?a *trip -ith 4ast 7erusalem as its capitalF and the "rab states -ill consider the "rab-Israeli con lict over@ sign a peace agreement -ith Israel and normali?e ties -ith Israel.350

MYTH: )2a5ba =a.) has nothing to do -ith the peace process. A"3T
On /a. #6@ (0#3@ Palestinians across the /iddle 4ast commemorated the <6th anniversar. o Eal-2a5ba@F mar5ing Ethe catastropheF o Israel>s creation in #$%&. Palestinians are understandabl. bitter about their national histor. over the last si! and a hal decades@ but i the Palestinians and the "rab states had accepted the 8nited 2ations partition resolution in #$%;@ the *tate o Palestine -ould instead have celebrated its <6th birthda. alongside Israel. 'e are o ten told that Palestinian intransigence in the peace process is because the. ob1ect to the EoccupationF o territories - namel. the 'est 0an5 and 4ast 7erusalem - -hich Israel captured in the *i! =a. 'ar o #$<;. 0ut i this is true@ then -h. is "2a5ba =a." celebrated on the date that Israel gained independence in #$%& rather than in 7une on the anniversar. o the "rab de eat in the *i! =a. 'arL The simple ans-er is that the Palestinians consider the creation o Israel the original sin@ and their ocus on that event is indicative o a re usal - even toda. - to reconcile themselves -ith the 7e-ish *tate. 'hile Palestinian rivals Aatah and 9amas have man. other political disagreements@ the. eJuall. value the importance o publi?ing "2a5ba =a.." "s such@ it should come as no surprise that Israelis ind it di icult to be optimistic about the prospect o negotiating a t-o-state solution -ith a united Aatah-9amas government that believes their countr. has no right to e!ist.
9=alesti#e )ea#s =alesti#e i# its e#tiret( %ro) the -Mediterra#ea#0 Sea to the -3orda#0 >iver, %ro) >as .l Na:ura to >a%ah& ?e ca##ot $ive u! a si#$le i#ch o% it& There%ore, 'e 'ill #ot reco$#i1e the Israeli e#e)(*s -ri$ht0 to a si#$le i#ch&2 Ha)as @eader Mah)oud Aahar 351

9The root o% this co#%lict #ever 'as a =alesti#ia# state, or lacB thereo%& The root o% the co#%lict is, a#d al'a(s has /ee#, -=alesti#ia#0 re%usal to reco$#i1e the 3e'ish state& It is #ot a co#%lict over 1<78, /ut over 1<5;, over the ver( eCiste#ce o% the State o% Israel& -NaB/a Da(0 eve#ts did #ot occur o# 3u#e 6, the a##iversar( o% the SiC Da( ?ar& The( occurred o# Ma( 16, the da( the State o% Israel 'as esta/lished& The =alesti#ia#s re$ard this da(, the %ou#datio# o% the State o% Israel, -as0 their #aB/a, their catastro!he&2 Israeli =ri)e Mi#ister De#Ea)i# Neta#(ahu 352

MYTH: "n Israeli attac5 on Iran -ould endanger 8.*. interests in the /iddle 4ast. A"3T
Israel is doing ever.thing possible to avoid the necessit. o launching a sel -de ense operation to stop Iran>s nuclear program; nevertheless@ it is conceivable that militar. action ma. be reJuired i sanctions and negotiations continue to ail. *ome@ li5e ormer =e ense *ecretar. :obert Dates@ have -arned that an attac5 on Iran -ill Ehaunt us or generationsF in the /iddle 4ast.353 The truth is that 8.*. interests are alread. threatened in the region@ and -ill become more tenuous i Iran acJuires a nuclear -eapon. This is not the irst time that 8.*. o icials have eared dire conseJuences as a result o Israeli stri5es against "rab threats. 9o-ever@ in the t-o prior e!amples o Israel attac5ing "rab nuclear sites C IraJ in #$&# and *.ria in (00; C the threats -ere eliminated -ithout an. harm to "merican interests. In act@ in the ormer case@ Israel ensured the8nited *tates -ould not ace the possibilit. o an IraJi nuclear response during the #$$# Dul 'ar. *ome anal.sts have -arned that Iran -ill attac5 8.*. targets i Israel acts against Iran. This -ould be counterproductive since no one e!pects an Israeli militar. stri5e to be as e ective as an "merican one. I Iran -ere to retaliate against the 8nited *tates or an. Israeli operation it -ould onl. provo5e "merican orces to respond to protect our interests and e!ponentiall. increase the punishment in licted on Iran. *ome anal.sts have -arned that Iran -ill attac5 8.*. targets i Israel acts against Iran. This -ould be counterproductive since no one e!pects an Israeli militar. stri5e to be as e ective as an "merican one. I Iran -ere to retaliate against the 8nited *tates or an. Israeli operation it -ould onl. provo5e "merican orces to respond to protect our interests and e!ponentiall. increase the punishment in licted on Iran. This is not to sa. that "merican interests in the /iddle 4ast are not in danger@ but the threats are unrelated to an. action against Iran. :adical Islamists alread. threaten 8.*. interests in the region and -ill continue to do so regardless o ho- the Iranian nuclear issue is resolved because the. are determined to drive "merica out o the/iddle 4ast and to restore the /uslim empire.

/IT9B The 8nited *tates helped Israel de eat the "rabs in si! da.s in 7une #$<;.

A"3T
The 8nited *tates tried to prevent the -ar through negotiations@ but it could not persuade 2asser or the other "rab states to cease their belligerent statements and actions. *till@ right be ore the -ar@ President 7ohnson-arnedB EIsrael -ill not be alone unless it decides to go alone.F 3%% Then@ -hen the-ar began@ the *tate =epartment announcedB Ma!s o% Dattle %or Si#ai FlG H Dattle %or 3erusale) FrG IlicB to E#lar$e EOur position is neutral in thought@ -ord and deed.F 3%6 /oreover@ -hile the "rabs -ere alsel. accusing the 8nited *tates o airli ting supplies to Israel@ 7ohnson imposed an arms embargo on the region (Arance@ Israel>s other main arms supplier@ also embargoed arms to Israel). 0. contrast@ the *oviets -ere suppl.ing massive amounts o arms to the "rabs. *imultaneousl.@ the armies o ,u-ait@ "lgeria@ *audi "rabia and IraJ -ere contributing troops and arms to the 4g.ptian@ *.rian and 7ordanian ronts.3%<

/IT9B The election o 9assan :ouhani eliminates the Iranian nuclear threat.

A"3T
The Iranian regime has apparentl. succeeded in bamboo?ling the 'estern media b. portra.ing ne-l. elected Iranian President@ 9assan :ouhani@ as a moderate -ho could end the Islamic :epublic>s sho-do-n -ith the international communit. over its nuclear program. The Duardian@ 322@ :euters and Iahoo 2e-s all headlined stories about E:ouhani the /oderateF -hile The 'ashington Post -ent even urther -ith the headline@ E:ouhani seen as best hope or ending nuclear stando -ith 'est.F3%; The election o :ouhani@ ho-ever@ changes nothing in Iran>s strategic vision or its nuclear program and ma. even be a tactical victor. or the ".atollahs. "s Iran>s chie nuclear negotiator in the earl. (000s@ :ouhani never agreed to an. real compromise -ith the 'est and later admitted that the temporar. suspension o certain elements o theprogram in (003 -as a plo. to enable Iran to build up its nuclear in rastructure. In (00% he spo5e o using a Ecalculated strateg.F in negotiations -ith the 483 C Arance@ 8,@ and Derman. C to bu. time@ and then

inding Ethe most suitable time to do a-a. -ith the suspension.F 3%& In his irst press con erence as president-elect@ he irml. announced that Ethe era o suspension is gone.F3%$ /oderation is a relative term. 3ompared to the genocidal anti-*emite he -ill succeed@ :ouhani ma. seem reasonable@ but he has al-a.s been a staunch supporter o the Islamic :evolution and ".atollah ,homeini. 9e became a close political all. o *upreme +eader ".atollah ,hamenei and served as his personal assistant to the *upreme 2ational *ecurit. 3ouncil (*2*3). :ouhani also served as national securit. advisor to past presidents,hatami and :a san1ani -ho oversa- the advancement o Iran>s nuclear program.360 :ouhani>s comparative restraint@ ho-ever@ is irrelevant to the nuclear Juestion since ,hamenei and the :evolutionar. Duard control Iran>s nuclear 36# polic.. :ouhani has no mandate to modi . Iran>s position to-ard its right to enrich uranium and has given no indication that he has an. desire to do so an.-a.s. Aollo-ing his electoral victor.@ :ouhani pledged to continue to sa eguard Iran>s Einalienable rightsF to nuclear po-er.36( :ouhani>s election gives com ort to Iran>s apologists -ho no- argue he should be given an opportunit. to pla. his hand in negotiations. *ome even argue that sanctions should be li ted and harsher measures dela.ed. That@ ho-ever@ -ould be an irreversible mista5e that -ould give Iran more time to continue to advance to-ard the brea5out point -here it cannot be prevented rom building a nuclear bomb. "lread.@ Iran is closing in on this red line C in mid-7une@International "tomic 4nerg. "genc. 3hie Iu5i.a "mano reported that Iran has made a Estead. increase in capacit. and productionF o its nuclear program despite punitive measures ta5en b. the 'est.363 I :ouhani is -illing and able to shi t Iran>s polic. to compl. -ith 8nited 2ations resolutions@ then he should act accordingl.; other-ise@ he is 1ust "hmadine1ad in a more palatable pac5age.

/IT9B The 8nited *tates must be involved in an. success ul peace process bet-een Israel and her neighbors.

A"3T
+ess than (% hours a ter President Obama>s second inauguration@ the irst op-ed appeared suggesting he prioriti?e pushing Israel into a peace agreement -ith the Palestinians. This notion has become a amiliar re rain rom people rustrated -ith the realit. that the Palestinians are divided and have demonstrated no interest in negotiating -ith Israelsince Obama irst too5 o ice. 2o-@ *ecretar. 7ohn ,err. is about to embar5 on his i th trip to the /iddle 4ast in the last hal -.ear -ith Israel)s leaders continuing to sa. the. are prepared to

negotiate -ithout preconditions. /ean-hile@ the Palestinians persist in demanding that Israel ma5e concessions (a settlement ree?e and the release o convicted criminals) and agree to unacceptable terms (e.g.@ recognition o the #$<; border as the basis or negotiations) be ore the. -ill sit -ith an. Israeli o icials. Diven the intransigence o /ahmoud "bbas@ and the outright hostilit. o 9amas@ e- people e!pect tal5s to occur or to achieve an. brea5through on the core issues that have bedeviled negotiators since #$$3. /oreover@ histor. sho-s "merican initiatives have not onl. been ailures but sometimes ma5e the situation -orse b. creating unreal e!pectations.36% 'hile the 8nited *tates can pla. a valuable role as a mediator@ the parties themselves must resolve their di erences. The list o ailed "merican initiatives to bro5er peace bet-een Israel and her neighbors includesB
#$63B The 4isenho-er "dministration tried to ease "rab-Israeli tensions

b. proposing the 1oint "rab-Israeli use o the 7ordan :iver@ a plan that -ould have helped the "rab re ugees b. producing more irrigated land and -ould have reduced Israel>s need or more -ater resources. Israel cautiousl. accepted the plan@ the "rab +eague re1ected it. #$<;B President 7ohnson outlined ive principles or peace. EThe irst and greatest principle@F he said@ Eis that ever. nation in the area has a undamental right to live and to have this right respected b. its neighbors.F The"rab response came a e- -ee5s laterB Eno peace -ith Israel@ no recognition o Israel@ no negotiations -ith it ... F #$<$B President 2i!on>s *ecretar. o *tate@ 'illiam :ogers@ o ered a plan that sought to E"balance"F 8.*. polic.@ but leaned on the Israelis to -ithdra- to the pre-#$<; borders; to accept man. Palestinian re ugees; and to allo- 7ordan a role in 7erusalem. Israel deemed the plan completel. unacceptable@ and even though :ogers> plan tilted to-ard the "rab position@ the. too re1ected it. #$;6B President Aord>s *ecretar. o *tate@ 9enr. ,issinger@ had a little more success in his shuttle diplomac.@ arranging the disengagement o orces a ter the #$;3 -ar@ but he never put or-ard a peace plan@ and ailed to move the parties be.ond the cessation o hostilities to the ormali?ation o peace. #$;&B 7imm. 3arter -as the model or presidential engagement in the con lict. 9e -anted an international con erence at Deneva to produce a comprehensive peace. 'hile 3arter spun his -heels tr.ing to organi?e a con erence@ 4g.ptian President "n-ar *adat decided to b.pass the "mericans and go directl. to the Israeli people and address the ,nesset. =espite revisionist histor. b. 3arter>s ormer advisers@ the Israeli-4g.ptian peace agreement -as negotiated largel. despite 3arter. /enachem 0egin and *adat had carried on secret contacts long be ore 3amp =avid and had reached the basis or an agreement be ore 3arter>s intervention. 3arter>s mediation helped seal the treat.@ but *adat>s decision to go to 7erusalem -as stimulated largel. b. his conviction that 3arter>s policies -ere misguided. #$&(B President :eagan announced a surprise peace initiative that called or

allo-ing the Palestinians sel -rule in the territories in association -ith 7ordan. The plan re1ected both Israeli anne!ation and the creation o a Palestinian state. Israel denounced the plan as endangering Israeli securit.. The plan had been ormulated largel. to paci . the "rab states@ -hich had been angered b. the e!pulsion o the P+O rom 0eirut@ but the. also re1ected the :eagan Plan. #$$#B Deorge 0ush)s "dministration succeeded in convening a historic regional con erence in /adrid in #$$#@ but it ended -ithout an. agreements and the multilateral trac5s that -ere supposed to settle some o the more contentious issues rarel. met and ailed to resolve an.thing. /oreover@ 0ush>s perceived hostilit. to-ard Israel eroded trust and made it di icult to convince Israelis to ta5e ris5s or peace. #$$3B President 3linton barel. had time to get his vision o peace together -hen he discovered the Israelis had secretl. negotiated an agreement -ith the Palestinians in Oslo. The 8nited *tates had nothing to do -ith the brea5through at Oslo and ver. little in luence on the immediate a termath. In act@ the peace process became increasingl. muddled as the 8nited *tates got more involved. #$$%B Peace -ith 7ordan also reJuired no real "merican involvement. The Israelis and 7ordanians alread. -ere agreed on the main terms o peace@ and the main obstacle had been ,ing 9ussein>s un-illingness to sign a treat. be ore Israel had reached an agreement -ith the Palestinians. " ter Oslo@ he elt sa e to move or-ard and no "merican plan -as needed. (000B In a last ditch e ort to save his presidential legac.@ 3linton put or-ard a peace plan to establish a Palestinian state. "gain@ it -as Prime /inister 4hud 0ara5>s -illingness to o er dramatic concessions that raised the prospects or an agreement rather than the president>s initiative. 4ven a ter 3linton -as prepared to give the Palestinians a state in virtuall. all the 'est 0an5 and Da?a@ and to ma5e east 7erusalem their capital@ the Palestinians re1ected the deal. (00(B President Deorge '. 0ush also o ered a plan@ but it -as undercut b. Iasser "ra at@ -ho obstructed the reJuired re orms o the Palestinian "uthorit.@ and re used to dismantle the terrorist in rastructure and stop the violence. 0ush>s plan morphed into the :oad /ap@ -hich dre- the support o Dreat 0ritain@ Arance@ :ussia@ and the 8nited 2ations@ but -as never implemented because o continuing Palestinian violence. The peace process onl. began to move again -hen Prime /inister "riel *haron made his disengagement proposal@ a unilateral approach the *tate =epartment had long opposed. :ather than tr. to capitali?e on the momentum created b. Israel>s evacuation o the Da?a *trip@ ho-ever@ the 0ush "dministration remained -edded to the :oad /ap. (00;B In his o-n last-ditch e ort to bring momentum to a stalled process to-ard peace@ Deorge '. 0ushorgani?ed the "nnapolis 3on erence in 'ashington@ =.3. 'hile the con erence did mar5 the irst time the t-o-state solution -as agreed upon as a rame-or5 or eventuall. ending the Israeli-Palestinian con lict@ this abstract commitment rom both Israeli and "rab parties made no di erence to the situation in Israel or the 'est 0an5; and terrorist organi?ation 9amas had been elected rulers o the all-Palestinian Da?a *trip 1ust several months prior.

 (00$B President Obama tried in his irst term to bring about a peace agreement

and not onl. ailed@ but -as counterproductive and undermined hope or negotiations during those our .ears. :ather than proposing a peace plan@ he began b. ocusing on a demand or a settlement ree?e in the 'est 0an5 and 7erusalem in (00$. This@ combined -ith other public comments and policies@ caused the Israeli government to doubt his commitment to Israeli securit. and created tension in the 8.*.-Israel relationship. *imultaneousl.@ becauseIsrael agreed onl. to a temporar. #0-month ree?e in the 'est 0an5@ "rab leaders sa- Obama as too -ea5 to orce Israel to ma5e concessions@ and re used to respond positivel. to the administration>s reJuests that the. ta5e steps to sho- their -illingness to ma5e peace -ith Israel i a Palestinian state -ere established. /ean-hile@ the Palestinians@ -ho had negotiated or .ears -ithout insisting on a settlement ree?e@ re used to tal5 to the Israelis unless a total settlement ree?e -as imposed. " ter t-o .ears@ Obama had succeeded in alienating all the parties and the Palestinians re used all Israeli invitations to restart peace tal5s. (0#3B On his ourth visit in si! months to the region@ *ecretar. o *tate 7ohn ,err. tried to convene a our-part. summit in "mman bet-een Israeli@ Palestinian@ 7ordanian@ and "merican negotiators be ore Israeli-Palestinian direct tal5s. Instead@ the press con erence to announce the summit -as postponed and ,err. ended that trip claiming progress but that more -or5 -as needed. *ince he too5 o ice@ ,err. has been shuttling bet-een that Palestinians and Israelis but no brea5through has been achieved to date. *ecretar. ,err.)s determination is admirable@ but that is insu icient to change the d.namics that have created a stalemate. =espite his best intentions@ he -ill ail so long as the Palestinians re use to recogni?e Israel as a 7e-ish state and accept that the. -ill have to ma5e compromises and agree to end the con lict. The *ecretar. -ould be -ise to -ait or conditions or negotiations to ripen and ocus on the more urgent issues in the regionB chaos in 4g.pt@ civil -ar in *.ria@ the ris5 o civil -ar in +ebanon@ and the Iranian nuclear threat.

/IT9B Israel "occupies" the 'est 0an5.

A"3T
In politics -ords matter and@ un ortunatel.@ the misuse o -ords appl.ing to the "rab-Israeli con lict has shaped perceptions to Israel>s disadvantage. "s in the case o the term E'est 0an5@F the -ord EoccupationF has been hi1ac5ed b. those -ho -ish to paint Israel in the harshest possible light. It also gives apologists a -a. to tr. to e!plain a-a. terrorism as Eresistance to occupation@F as i the -omen and children 5illed b. suicide bombers in buses@ pi??erias@ and shopping malls -ere responsible or the plight o the Palestinians. Diven the negative connotation o an Eoccupier@F it is not surprising that Israel>s detractors use the -ord or some variation as man. times as possible -hen

intervie-ed b. the press. The more accurate description o the territories in 7udea and *amaria@ ho-ever@ is EdisputedF territories. 2onetheless@ the 4uropean 8nion has allen or the propaganda and accepted the allacious terminolog.. In 7ul. (0#3@ the 48 published ne- guidelines severel. limiting interaction -ith Israeli entities be.ond the pre-#$<; lines. The ne- rules en orce the union>s Elong-held position that bilateral agreements -ith Israel do not cover the territor. that came under Israel>s administration in 7une #$<;@F the statement announcing the guidelines read. This means that the 48 has banned an. unding o and cooperation -ith Israeli institutions that operate be.ond the EDreen +ine.F 366 This directive is another e!ample o Israel being singled out or special treatment. In act@ most other disputed territories around the -orld are not re erred to as being occupied b. the part. that controls them. This is true@ or e!ample@ o the hotl. contested regions o ,ashmir@ 3.prus@ and Tibet. Iet rarel. does the international communit. ma5e a uss over these territories.36< Occupation t.picall. re ers to oreign control o an area that -as under the previous sovereignt. o another state. In the case o the 'est 0an5@ there -as no legitimate sovereign because the territor. had been illegall. occupied b. 7ordan rom #$%& to #$<;. Onl. t-o countriesN0ritain and Pa5istanNrecogni?ed 7ordan>s action. The Palestinians never demanded an end to 7ordanian occupation and the creation o a Palestinian state.
9For a TeCa#, a %irst visit to Israel is a# e(e o!e#er& .t the #arro'est !oi#t, it*s o#l( ; )iles %ro) the Mediterra#ea# to the old .r)istice li#e: That*s less tha# %ro) the to! to the /otto) o% Dallas Ft& ?orth .ir!ort& The 'hole o% !re 1<78 Israel is o#l( a/out siC ti)es the si1e o% the Ji#$ >a#ch #ear Ior!us Ihristi&K =reside#t 4eor$e ?& Dush368

It is also necessar. to distinguish the acJuisition o territor. in a -ar o conJuest as opposed to a -ar o sel -de ense. " nation that attac5s another and then retains the territor. it conJuers is an occupier. One that gains territor. in the course o de ending itsel is not in the same categor.. This is the situation -ith Israel@ -hich speci icall. told ,ing 9ussein that i 7ordan sta.ed out o the #$<; -ar@ Israel -ould not ight against him. 9ussein ignored the -arning and attac5ed Israel. 'hile ending o the assault and driving out the invading 7ordanian troops@Israel came to control the 'est 0an5. 0. re1ecting "rab demands that Israel be reJuired to -ithdra- rom all the territories -on in #$<;@ 82 *ecurit. 3ouncil :esolution (%( ac5no-ledged that Israel -as entitled to claim at least part o these lands or ne- de ensible borders. *ince Oslo@ the case or tagging Israel as an occup.ing po-er has been urther -ea5ened b. the act that Israel trans erred virtuall. all civilian authorit. in the 'est 0an5 to the Palestinian "uthorit.. Israel retained the po-er to control its o-n e!ternal securit. and that o its citi?ens@ but $& percent o the Palestinian population

in the 'est 0an5 and #00 percent in Da?a came under the P">s authorit.. The e!tent to -hich Israel has been orced to maintain a militar. presence in the territories has been governed b. the Palestinians> un-illingness to end violence against Israel. The onl. -a. to end the dispute over the territories is or the Palestinians to negotiate a inal settlement. 8ntil no-@ the intransigence o the Palestinian "uthorit.>s leadership has been the onl. serious roadbloc5 to serious tal5s@ the onl. route to an agreement that -ill lead to a sustainable uture or Israelis and Palestinians ali5e. The 48 action is especiall. ill-timed because it undermines the current peace e orts o *ecretar. 7ohn ,err. b. creating the impression that the international communit. -ill pressure Israel to ma5e concessions -ithout the Palestinians having to negotiate or compromise.

/IT9B Palestinian leaders enter peace tal5s -ith Israel sharing a common desire or democrac..

A"3T
*ince the creation o the Palestinian "uthorit. b. the Oslo agreements@ the P" has been run as a dictatorship@ irst b. Iasser "ra at and@ since his death in (00%@ b. /ahmoud "bbas. The P" held one election@ in -hich 9amasemerged victorious@ and all subseJuentl. scheduled elections have been cancelled or ear 9amas -ould dominate the results and ta5e complete control over the P". O course@ 9amas does not need the ballot bo! to e!ert control; in (00; the terrorists staged a coup to ta5e over the entire Da?a *trip and no- e!ercises their radical Islamic despotic rule over all #.& million Palestinians in Da?aand en1o.s the support o man. o the (.; million living in the 'est 0an5.36; This means that "bbas enters negotiations representing onl. <0 percent o the population. 9amas ma5es no secret o its opposition to the resumption o peace tal5s or the negotiation o an. peace agreement -ith Israel. E9amas re1ects ,err.)s announcement o a return to tal5s and considers the Palestinian "uthorit.)s return to negotiations -ith the occupation to be at odds -ith the national consensus@F said 9amas spo5esman *ami "bu Suhri.36< "bbas does not even have the support o the ull P+O@ -hich he chairs. "t least t-o actions oppose tal5sB EThe PA+P GPopular Aront or the +iberation o PalestineH is against a return to negotiations@F said one o the part.>s leaders@ ,haleda 7arar. EIt is an individual move@F she said@ in allusion to "bbas. The =emocratic Aront or the +iberation o Palestine (=A+P) 1oined the PA+P in protest against the peace tal5s.370 The "rab *pring)s deterioration into the Islamic 'inter does not bode -ell or the uture o "Palestine." 4ven toda.@ the P" denies the Palestinian people basic rights@ such as reedom o speech@ reedom o the press@ reedom o association@ and provides scant protection or -omen>s rights and opposes ga. rights. "ccording to the 8.*. *tate =epartmentB "The three most egregious human rights violations

across the occupied territories -ere arbitrar. arrest and associated torture and abuse ... restrictions on civil liberties; and the inabilit. o residents o the Da?a *trip under9amas to choose or hold to account their o-n government." The report also noted the ongoing problem o corruption in the P" and terrorist attac5s b. 9amas@ -hich included launching deadl. roc5ets and mortars against civilian targets in Israel.371 The conditions are li5el. to -orsen as e!tremists push or the adoption o *haria la- and the recognition o an. ne- entit. as an Islamic state. I the record o other Islamic states in the region is an. indication@ it is li5el. a uture Palestinian government -ould not onl. limit the rights o its people but impose severe restrictions on non-/uslims@ assuming an. are allo-ed or choose to remain in such a state. 4ven be ore negotiations have started@ Palestinian o icials have made clear the. plan to conduct a polic. o ethnic cleansing o 7e-s reminiscent o 2a?i Derman.. "bbas said in =ecember (0#0@ EI there is an independent Palestinian state -ith 7erusalem as its capital@ -e -on>t agree to the presence o one Israeli in it."372 The P+O)s ambassador to the 8nited *tates@ /aen "rei5at@ said on *eptember #3@ (0##@ that a uture Palestinian state should be ree o 7e-s. 373 These -ere not the irst instances -here Palestinian o icials have suggested ma5ing EPalestineF1udenrein and re lect an ugl. undercurrent o anti-*emitism -ithin the Palestinian "uthorit.. +est an.one believe such remar5s -ere anomalies@ "bbas@ the man o ten re erred to as a "moderate@" announced on the eve o the resumption o peace tal5s that EIn a inal resolution@ -e -ould not see the presence o a single Israeli - civilian or soldier - on our lands.F375 *uch shoc5ing racist and anti-*emitic vie-s should provo5e -orld condemnation@ but the media ignores them@ and peace activists are so desperate to reach some agreement that the. ma5e e!cuses or "bbas. This -as the same mista5e made ollo-ing the Oslo "ccords -hen "ra at -as ine!plicabl. portra.ed as a man o peace even as he continued to oment incitement and terror. The call or ethnic cleansing o 7e-s is especiall. outrageous given that more than # million "rabs@ more than (0 percent o the population@ live peace ull. in Israel and en1o. the rights guaranteed b. Israel>s democrac.. In act@ Israeli "rabs are so a raid o -hat a Palestinian government -ould do to their reedom that the. over-helmingl. tell pollsters the. -ould pre er to sta. in Israel to moving to EPalestine.F /an. Palestinians in the 'est 0an5 have moved inside Israel>s securit. barrier in hopes o sta.ing in Israel rather than becoming citi?ens under the corrupt and despotic "bbas regime. 'h. doesn>t *ecretar. ,err. as5 "bbas -h. 7e-s should be e!pelled rom their homesL The same Juestion could be as5ed o most "rab countries@ but is particularl. relevant in this case because the area li5el. to become Palestine incorporates territor. that has been the home o 7e-s or centuries.

Imagine the uproar i an. Israeli o icial suggested that no "rabs or /uslims should be allo-ed to live in Israel. It is even more ironic that "bbas -ants to e!pel all 7e-s rom their homeland -hile simultaneousl. demanding that Palestinians should be allo-ed to move to Israel.

/IT9B Israel must ma5e concessions or the peace process to succeed.

A"3T
The Palestinians@ and their supporters -orld-ide@ continue to operate under the impression that Israel must ma5e Egood-illF gestures - such as prisoner releases@ settlement ree?es and chec5point dismantlement C to get the peace process bac5 on trac5. 'hile Israel is routinel. pressured b. the 8nited *tates and others to ma5e such gestures@ the Palestinians are not e!pected to ma5e an. corresponding good-ill gestures. 'hat seems to be orgotten@ ho-ever@ is that compromises and concessions are supposed to be the sub1ect o peace tal5s@ not a price Israel should be e!pected to pa. 1ust to bring the Palestinians to the negotiating table. I the Palestinians are trul. committed to peace@ as the. claim@ then the. should be an!ious to sit do-n and discuss all the outstanding issues -ithout preconditions. 2evertheless@ Israel has made countless concessions in the past both to entice the Palestinians to start tal5s and during negotiations themselves. In late 7ul. (0#3@ the Israeli cabinet voted to release #03 Palestinian prisoners over the course o nine months to ul ill a precondition set b. Palestinian "uthorit. President /ahmoud "bbas be ore he -ould return to the negotiating table.376 The idea o releasing convicted prisoners is odious to Israelis and it is important to understand the magnitude o such a move. 2ot onl. does a prisoner release increase Israel>s immediate securit. concerns C recidivism to terror amongst released Palestinian prisoners is more than <0O - but it also ta5es a heav. emotional toll on the Israeli populace@ -hich su ered at the hands o these terrorists and must no-atch passivel. as the. are set ree.377 The prisoners slated or release are not political dissidents; the. are hardened 5illers. "ll (< set to be released in mid-"ugust -ere convicted o murder or accessor. to murder.378 To give 1ust a e- e!amples o the heinous crimes committed b. prisoners to be reedB "bu-/usa *alam "li "tia (o "bbas> o-n Aatah part.) murdered9olocaust survivor Isaac :otenberg in #$$%; *alah Ibrahim "hmad /ugdad (also o Aatah) bludgeoned to death ;(-.ear-old Israel Tenenbaum in #$$3; also in #$$3@ *ha>at "?at *haban "ta orchestrated the stabbing o 6#-.ear-old *imcha +evi@ a -oman -ho made her living b. transporting Palestinians da. laborers to -or5; and@ /aslah "bdullah *alama *alma (9amas) murdered store o-ner :euven =avid in #$$# b. beating him death a ter t.ing up his arms and

legs.37; Israel should not be e!pected to satis . Palestinian demands be ore negotiations begin. Peace ta5es t-o -illing parties@ and b. their latest pain ul sacri ice@ Israel>s leaders have proven once again the. -ill ta5e ris5s or peace. 2o- the ball is in the Palestinians> court. 'ill the. inall. sei?e the opportunit. and ma5e the necessar. compromises to achieve independence and live in peace beside Israel@ or -ill the. demonstrate again@ in the -ords o Israeli diplomat "bba 4ban@ their penchant Eto never miss an opportunit. to miss an opportunit..F

/IT9B 3hristians are a protected minorit. in the /iddle 4ast.

A"3T
EAirst the *aturda. people@ then the *unda. peopleF has been an adage in

the /uslim -orld envisioning the e!termination o the 7e-s ollo-ed b. the 3hristians.3<$ "s violence s-eeps through the /iddle 4ast@ trans orming the "rab *pring into an Islamic 'inter@ the order has been reversed ( e- 7e-s live in the "rab 'orld an.more) and /uslim anger and bigotr. is no- directed at the small 3hristian communities across the region - notabl. in 4g.pt@+ebanon@ the Palestinian "uthorit. and *.ria. These ancient communities are acing e!istential threats to their survival that i le t unchec5ed could drive a-a. the remnants o 3hristianit. in the /iddle 4ast. The onl. thriving 3hristian communit. in the region is in Israel@ -here the 3hristian communit. is protected@ respected and gro-ing. The in erior status C dhimmitude - o 3hristians in lands under Islamic rule has been rein orced or centuries b. s.stematic discrimination; ho-ever@ even their status as EPeople o the 0oo5@F has not protected them rom the outburst o Islamist violence across the region. In 4g.pt@ -here 3optic 3hristians are the largest minorit. group and account or appro!imatel. #0 percent o the population@ the. have been the target o ren?ied assaults b. /uslim 0rotherhood lo.alists since the militar. ouster o President /ohamed /orsi in 7ul. (0#3.3;0 The /aspero Iouth 8nion (/I8)@ a 3optic rights group@ estimated that more than ive do?en churches have been looted@ vandali?ed or completel. destro.ed across at least nine 4g.ptian governorates and a number o 3opts have been 5illed.3;# In *.ria@ -here 3hristians also account or roughl. #0 percent o the population@ the blood. civil -ar pitting the regime o 0ashar "ssad against a host o Islamist and non-Islamist rebels has le t the 3hristian communit. caught in the middle. 3;( In 9oms@ +ata5ia and other areas@ both rebel and government orces have 5illed 3hristians and burned churches.3;3 Rladimir 0ul.gin@ head o the 3onstitutional +egislation 3ommittee o :ussia>s Aederation 3ouncil@ noted in late "ugust (0#3 that E*.ria>s 3hristians are in serious danger@ as the -orld ignores crimes committed

against them.F3;% 8n ortunatel.@ the e!perience o 3hristian minorities in 4g.pt and *.ria is not uniJue to those countries. In *audi "rabia@ 3hristians are barred rom becoming citi?ens and la-s ma5e it illegal to import@ print or o-n 3hristian religious materials. 3;6 In +ebanon@ the onl. /uslim countr. in the /iddle 4ast -here 3hristians once ormed a ma1orit. o the population@ the stead. radicali?ation o the government and the gro-th o Iraniansponsored 9e?bollah *hiite terror have led to a large-scale e!odus o 3hristians over the .ears.3;< 3hristians have also been the target o Islamists in Da?a since the violent coup that brought 9amas to po-er in (00;. The small remnant o 3hristians in Da?a has tried to lee@ but man. have been unable to leave and no- su er regular persecution. In IraJ and the P+O-controlled 'est 0an5@ "rab 3hristians have also been targets o discrimination and sometimes violence that has prompted man. to leave. 3ities -ith rich 3hristian histor.@ such as 0ethlehem@ are no- under control o a /uslim ma1orit. and almost completel. devoid o 3hristians.3;; The onl. place in the /iddle 4ast -here 3hristians aces no restrictions on the practice o their aith is Israel. 3hristians comprise a little more than t-o percent o Israel>s population@ but the countr. assures them reedom o -orship@ grants them un ettered access to their hol. sites and allo-s the 3hristian communit. to legislate their o-n religious a airs@ such as marriage and divorce.3;& *hoc5ingl. the -orld appears indi erent to 3hristian su ering in the /iddle 4ast. Droups such as the 2ational 3ouncil o 3hurches@ the 'orld 3ouncil o 3hurches@ *abeel and the "merican Ariends *ervice 3ommittee are so obsessed -ith the behavior o Israeli 7e-s that the. can>t muster even a modicum o indignation over the mistreatment o their brethren in /uslim countries. "rab-"merican organi?ations have no di icult. denouncing an. alleged Israeli discrimination against 3hristians but are silent -hen /uslims persecute and 5ill them. *imilarl.@ successive Popes have had a lot to sa. about the importance o /iddle 4ast peace but have been silent -hile 3hristians are abused and compelled to lee their homelands in the "rab -orld. The 3hristian position in the /iddle 4ast is increasingl. precarious; the old adage ma. .et come to ruition@ and soon. In the -ords o Palestinian 3hristian 1ournalist *amir Mumsi.eh@ EI the situation continues@ G3hristiansH -on>t be here an.more in t-ent. .ears.F

/IT9B Israeli Prime /inister 0en1amin 2etan.ahu is disinterested in peace -ith the Palestinians.

A"3T
'ith rene-ed attention on the restarting o Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations@ the international media continues to portra. Israeli Prime /inister 0en1amin

2etan.ahu as a hardliner -ho is un-illing to compromise -ith his Palestinian interlocutors. *ince his election to lead Israel>s government in 7anuar. (0#3@ ho-ever@ 2etan.ahu has un-averingl. supported the t-o-state solution and repeatedl. o ered compromises and good-ill gestures to the Palestinians. Though he had no obligation to do so@ 2etan.ahu suspended settlement construction in 4ast 7erusalem and outside the Econsensus settlement blocsF in the 'est 0an5 1ust to get Palestinian "uthorit. President /ahmoud "bbas to tal5 peace.3;$ 9e also authori?ed the release o more than #00 Palestinian terrorists rom Israeli 1ails C most o -hom are convicted murderers C to ul ill another o the Palestinians> preconditions.3&0 Aollo-ing the resumption o tal5s in *eptember (0#3@ 2etan.ahu agreed to grant an additional 6@000 permits@ to the 36@000 previousl. approved@ allo-ing Palestinian laborers to -or5 inside Israel.3&# "bbas@ on the other hand@ has .et to compromise on an. substantive issue and re used to return to the bargaining table be ore -inning concessions rom Israel. It is this intransigence o "bbas C not 2etan.ahu C that has stalledpeace negotiations. "bbas has re used ever. step that -ould help build con idence and has allo-ed violence to spread in the territories and incitement to linger -ithin his o-n government.3&( :ather than displa. an. interest in peace -ith Israel or a -illingness to cooperate -ith *ecretar. ,err.>s rene-ed initiative@ "bbas has said he -ants to ta5e Israel to the International 3riminal 3ourt i it does not capitulate to his demands. The Palestinian President has also reiterated his blatantl. anti*emitic re usal to accept Ethe presence o a single IsraeliF in a uture Palestinian state.3&3 Aollo-ing the beginning o negotiations in *eptember@ both sides agreed to 5eep tal5s secret to allo- negotiators the greatest possible le!ibilit.; ho-ever@ the Palestinians Juic5l. lea5ed to the press -hat the. claimed -ere unreasonable Israeli o ers.3&% This demonstrated@ .et again@ a lac5 o Palestinian credibilit. and e!acerbated the mistrust Israelis alread. eel as a result o decades o terror attac5s@ incitement and intransigence. 'hile 2etan.ahu has never -avered rom his commitment to Israel>s securit.@ his vie-s on the permanence o Israeli control over the -hole o 7udea and *amaria have evolved over time. 9e no- activel. campaigns or a permanent resolution to the con lict that -ould result in the creation o a Palestinian state beside Israel. This is the position o a statesman and peacema5er@ terms the media should be using to portra. Israel>s prime minister.

/IT9B Palestinians support the bo.cott and divestment movement against Israel.

A"3T
In an e ort to delegitimi?e@ isolate and ultimatel. destro. Israel@ organi?ations

around the -orld have called on universities@ governments@ labor unions and co-ops to bo.cott@ divest rom and sanction Israel (termed the 0=* movement). *upporters claim that international pressure through the 0=* movement -ill help the Palestinian people achieve independence.3&6 9o-ever@ 0=* advocates do not support a Palestinian state coe!isting beside Israel@ do not help individual Palestinian businesses and do not represent the vie-s o the Palestinian "uthorit. or even most Palestinians living in the territories. Palestinians do not bo.cott the 7e-ish *tate; in act@ the. activel. engage in trade -ith the Israeli government. ThePalestinian "uthorit. shares a variet. o cooperative agreements -ith Israel in nearl. %0 spheres o activit.@ rom 1oint securit. measures to environmental protection and conservation. In (00&@ Israel>s 9istadrut labor union signed an agreement -ith the Palestine Deneral Aederation o Trade 8nions to advance common goals and build raternit.. In "ugust (0#(@ then-P" Prime /inister *alam Aa..ad and Israeli Ainance /inister Iuval *teinit? signed a series o bilateral trade agreements that too5 e ect 7anuar. (0#3 and mar5ed an important step in bolstering economic ties bet-een Israel and the P".3&< Overall@ Israeli-Palestinian trade (importPe!port o goods W services) totals nearl. T% billion annuall..3&; Palestinians also -or5 -ith Israelis in business and industr.. In *eptember (0#3@ Israeli Prime /inister 0en1amin 2etan.ahu agreed to increase the number o -or5 permits - to %0@000 - or Palestinians in the territories -ho -or5 or various companies inside Israel proper.3&& 'hat is especiall. ironic is that -hile the P">s leaders constantl. complain about Israeli settlements@ at least 30@000 Palestinians -or5 in those settlements@ helped construct them or supplied some o the building materials.3&$ " surve. conducted b. the Palestinian 3entral 0ureau o *tatistics ound that Palestinians -or5ing or Israeli businesses are paid more than t-ice the salar. that their peers receive rom Palestinian emplo.ers. /oreover@ Palestinians invest in Israel. *tatistical data rom (0## sho-s that private Palestinian investment in Israeli companies - notabl. hi-tech and industr. amounted to roughl. T(.6 billion@ more than double the Palestinian investment -ithin the 'est 0an5.3$0 Aor e!ample@ 9ani "lami@ a leader in the Palestinian telecommunications industr.@ bought 30 percent o the Israeli compan. "lvarion. Israeli "rab 9isham "dnan :a.a@ a construction magnate@ -as an angel investor in the Israeli -eb design compan. 'eb.do.3$# Ironicall.@ the ounder o the 0=* movement@ Omar 0arghouti@ does not personall. bo.cott Israel - he obtained a /aster>s =egree and@ since (00$@ has been pursuing a =octorate at Israel>s Tel "viv 8niversit..3$( 9e is 1ust one o thousands o Palestinians -ho stud. at Israeli colleges and institutions. 'hile 0=* advocates tr. to paint Israel as a demonic countr. practicing the t.pe o discrimination associated -ith old *outh " rica@ tens o thousands o Palestinians en1o. the bene its o -or5ing@ stud.ing and investing -ith Israelis. 'hich begs the JuestionB I Palestinians don>t support 0=*@ -ho does the movement representL

/IT9B Iran *upreme +eader ,hamenei issued a at-a against producing nuclear -eapons.

A"3T
'ith its suspected nuclear -eapons program under the close -atch o the 'est and its econom. struggling under the pressure o economic sanctions@ the Islamic :epublic o Iran continues to insist that it is uninterested and morall. opposed to developing -eapons o mass destruction. Aor nearl. a decade@ Iran has attempted to convince -orld leaders that the head o its government@ *upreme +eader ".atollah "li ,hamenei@ issued an o icial religious edict@ a at-a@ opposing the development o nuclear -eapons and calling them a sin. E,hamenei has been consistentl. sa.ing at least or the past seven or eight .ears@F according to Iranian 1ournalist /uhammad *ahimi@ Ethat the production o nuclear -eapons is against Islamic teaching and there ore Iran -ill never pursue such a path.F 3$3 4ven President 0arac5 Obama@ in his (0#3 address to the 8nited 2ations Deneral "ssembl.@ repeated the canard. EThe *upreme +eader has issued a at-a against the development o nuclear -eapons@F Obama said. In a press con erence@ Obama said a diplomatic solution can be achieved regarding Iran>s nuclear program because o this at-a.3$% The problem@ ho-ever@ is that ,hamenei has never issued such an edict C nor has an. other leading Iranian cleric. *uspicion gre- -hen Iranian o icials gave various dates or -hen it -as supposed to have been issued - (00%@ (006 and (0#(. 4ven 'estern organi?ations couldn>t agree on the date o ,hamenei>s at-a; or e!ample@ the 'ashington Institute said it -as (003 -hile 2e-s-ee5 claimed it -as (00%. 3$6 To clear up the con usion@ the /iddle 4ast /edia :esearch Institute (/4/:I) e!amined ,hamenei>s at-asdating bac5 to (00%. /4/:I ound no evidence that ,hamenei had ever said Islam did not allo- Iran to producenuclear arms. 3$< /ichael :ubin@ a scholar at the "merican 4nterprise Institute@ similarl. notedB E,hamenei lists all o his at-as on his -ebpage@ but the nuclear at-a isn>t among them.F 3$;
EThere is no such at-a. It is a lie rom the Iranians@ a deception@ and it is tragic

that President Obama has endorsed it@F /4/:I Aounder and President Iigal 3armon said. 3$& I ,hameini did issue a religious edict on the sub1ect@ it has obviousl. been ignored and is irrelevant so long as Irancontinues to violate 82 resolutions@ enriches uranium and@ according to the I"4"@ continues its stead. progress to-ard building a nuclear -eapon. 3$$

/IT9B

Iran is isolated because o the international sanctions regime.

A"3T
International sanctions -ere imposed on Iran to isolate the regime and pressure Iran)s leaders to give up their nuclear -eapons program. Iran@ ho-ever@ -as never completel. isolated and no- 'estern countries are even beginning to restore diplomatic ties -ith Tehran be ore an. agreement is reached. Perhaps the most dramatic e!ample o the ailure to isolate Iran occurred -hen Iran hosted the summit meeting o the 2on-"ligned /ovement in "ugust (0#(. =espite 8.*. e orts to discourage attendance@ representatives o #(0 nations attended@ including several heads o state. The 8.2. *ecretar.-Deneral also attended.%00 In October (0#3@ a ter Iranian President 9assan :ouhani s-ooned -orld leaders -ith his speech at the 8nited 2ations Deneral "ssembl.@ several 4uropean nations began tha-ing their relations -ith Iran. 0ritish Aoreign /inister 'illiam 9ague announced that the 8nited ,ingdom and Iran -ould resume diplomatic ties at the nonresident charge d>a aires level@ one step belo- ambassador@ -hile Derman. and the 2etherlands both assigned ne- ambassadors to Iran.%0# "dditionall.@ Arench parliamentarians met -ith their Iranian counterparts to discuss opening a nechapter in bilateral relations@ 7apanese Aoreign /inister Aumio ,ishida scheduled a visit to Tehran to discuss issues o mutual bene it and Ta1i5istan o5a.ed an o icial visit rom President :ouhani.%0#a The sanctions are meant to isolate Iran economicall.@ but this too has largel. ailed as man. countries have continued to trade -ith the Islamic :epublic. In 7une (0#3@ the Obama "dministration e!empted a number o countries@ including 3hina@ India@ *outh ,orea and *ingapore@ rom ull. compl.ing -ith the terms o 8.*. sanctions.%0( 3hina@ or e!ample@ even -ent as ar as to abuse the e!emption and increase its imports o Iranian oil@ sho-ing an #&O increase over the previous .ear.%03 /ean-hile@ other nations@ such as Tur5e.@ IraJ and the 8nited "rab 4mirates@ have strengthened their o-n bilateral trade ties -ith Iran during the (0#3 summer months.%0% Isolating Iran and orcing its leaders to dismantle the nuclear -eapons program --ithout a militar. con rontation C necessitates the en orcement and commitment to sanctions until Iran ull. complies -ith 82 resolutions.

/IT9B Israel is responsible or e!pelling the "rabs o Palestine during the #$%& 'ar o Independence.

A"3T
One o the greatest canards associated -ith the histor. o the "rab-Israeli con lict is that all the "rabs living in Palestine -ere e!pelled b. the 7e-s. " plethora o

evidence@ ho-ever@ demonstrates that the Palestinian re ugees-ere told to leave their homes b. their o-n leaders. 3ontemporar. press reports do not mention orcible e!pulsions@ but the. do reJuentl. describe the "rabs as E leeingF or Eevacuating.F /oreover@ in recent .ears@ man. "rab leaders - including P" President /ahmoud "bbas - have candidl. admitted this truth. "ccording to historian 0enn. /orris@ as earl. as =ecember #$%;@ E"rab o icers ordered the complete evacuation o speci ic villages in certain areas@ lest their inhabitants Xtreacherousl.> acJuiesce in Israeli rule or hamper "rab militar. deplo.ments ... There can be no e!aggerating the importance o these earl. "rabinitiated evacuations in the demorali?ation@ and eventual e!odus@ o the remaining rural and urban populations.F %06 In /arch #$%&@ the "rab 2ational 3ommittee in 7erusalem@ ollo-ing the instructions o the "rab 9igher 3ommittee@ ordered -omen@ children and the elderl. in various parts o 7erusalem to leave their homesB E"n. opposition to this order ... is an obstacle to the hol. -ar ... and -ill hamper the operations o the ighters in these districts.F The "rab 9igher 3ommittee also ordered the evacuation o Eseveral do?en villages@ as -ell as the removal o dependents rom do?ens moreF rom "pril to 7ul. #$%&.%0< Time /aga?ine@ in their /a. #$%& report on the battle or 9ai a@ notedB "The mass evacuation@ prompted partl. b. ear@ partl. b. orders o "rab leaders@ le t the "rab Juarter o 9ai a a ghost cit..F %0; In "ugust #$%&@ 7ohn 0agot Dlubb@ the commander o 7ordan>s "rab +egion@ saidB EG"rabH villages -ere reJuentl. abandoned even be ore the. -ere threatened b. the progress o -ar.F%0& The 4conomist@ a reJuent outspo5en critic o the Sionists@ issued a similar report in October #$%&B EO the <(@000 "rabs -ho ormerl. lived in 9ai a not more than 6@000 or <@000 remained. Rarious actors in luenced their decision to see5 sa et. in light. There is but little doubt that the most potent o the actors -ere the announcements made over the air b. the 9igher "rab 4!ecutive@ urging the "rabs to Juit.F The *ecretar. o the "rab +eague O ice in +ondon@ 4d-ard "ti.ah@ -ould later -riteB EThis -holesale e!odus -as due partl. to the belie o the "rabs@ encouraged b. the boastings o an unrealistic "rabic press and the irresponsible utterances o some o the "rab leaders@ that it could be onl. a matter o -ee5s be ore the 7e-s -ere de eated b. the armies o the "rab *tates and the Palestinian "rabs enabled to re-enter and reta5e possession o their countr..F%0$
EThe re ugees -ere con ident their absence -ould not last long@ and that the. -ould

return -ithin a -ee5 or t-o@F /onsignor Deorge 9a5im@ a Dree5 Orthodo! 3atholic 0ishop o Dalilee told the 0eirut ne-spaper@ *ada al-7anubon "ugust #<@ #$%&. ETheir leaders had promised them that the "rab "rmies -ould crush the >Sionist gangs> ver. Juic5l. and that there -as no need or panic or ear o a long e!ile.F

EThe "rab *tates encouraged the Palestine "rabs to leave their homes temporaril. in

order to be out o the -a. o the "rab invasion armies@F -rote the 7ordanian ne-spaper Ailastin in Aebruar. #$%$. These historical accounts are bolstered b. more recent statements rom Palestinian and "rab leaders con irming that the 7e-s) role in the Palestinian e!odus o #$%& is e!aggerated. =r. 'alid al-Mamha-i@ a ormer member o the 4!ecutive 3ommittee o the P+O@ noted in the #$;0)s that Eit -as collective ear@ moral disintegration and chaos in ever. ield that e!iled the "rabs o Tiberias@ 9ai a and do?ens o to-ns and villages.F %#0 9aled al "?m@ the *.rian Prime /inister in #$%&@ admitted the "rab role in persuading the re ugees to leave in his memoirs -ritten in #$;3B
E*ince #$%& -e have been demanding the return o the re ugees to their

homes. 0ut -e ourselves are the ones -ho encouraged them to leave. Onl. a e- months separated our call to them to leave and our appeal to the 8nited 2ations to resolve on their return.F %## *imilarl.@ 7ordan>s ,ing the re ugee problemB 9ussein blamed Palestinian leaders or

"The traged. o the Palestinians -as that most o their leaders had paral.?ed them -ith alse and unsubstantiated promises that the. -ere not alone; that &0 million "rabs and %00 million /uslims -ould instantl. and miraculousl. come to their rescue." %#( In =ecember (00<@ Palestinian 1ournalist /ahmoud "l-9abbash -rote in the P">s o icial ne-spaper "l-9a.at al-7adidaB "The leaders and the elites promised us at the beginning o the )catastrophe) in #$%&@ that the duration o the e!ile -ill not be long@ and that it -ill not last more than a e- da.s or months@ and a ter-ards the re ugees -ill return to their homes@ -hich most o them did not leave onl. until the. put their trust in those )"r5uvian) promises made b. the leaders and the political elites." %#3 G"r5uvian is a re erence to "r5uv@ a igure rom "rab tradition 5no-n or brea5ing promises and l.ing.H P" President /ahmoud "bbas@ e!plained -hat happened in his home to-n o *a ed in an intervie- -ith P"-TR in 7anuar. (0#3B "The G"rabH +iberation "rm. retreated rom G*a edH@ causing the people to begin emigrating. In *a ed@ 1ust li5e 9ebron@ people -ere a raid that the 7e-s -ould ta5e revenge or the massacre in #$($ ... The people -ere overcome -ith ear@ and it caused the people to leave the cit. in a disorderl. -a.." %#% The truth@ con irmed b. historians@ contemporaneous documents and accounts@ and

recent research and statements b. Palestinians@ is that the over-helming ma1orit. o "rabs -ho became re ugees led their homes. The. did so or a variet. o reasonsB their leaders told them to; their leaders and troops abandoned their to-ns; "rab propaganda spo5e o massacres that rightened man. "rabs; evacuations b. "rabs demorali?ed man. -ho sta.ed behind; and noncombatants -anted to get out o a -ar ?one and ind sa et. in neighboring countries. It is also true that thousands o -ealth. Palestinians le t be ore the ighting began and that during the -ar 7e-ish orces did e!pel a small number o Palestinians -ho -ere usuall. in villages behind their lines ma5ing them a strategic threat. "s /orris notes@ EIn general@ 9aganah and I=A commanders -ere not orced to con ront the moral dilemma posed b. e!pulsion; most "rabs led be ore and during the battle@ be ore the Israeli troops reached their homesV.F %#6

/IT9B The Palestinians have made concessions to advance the peace process; Israel has remained uncompromising.

A"3T
'ith rene-ed attention on Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations@ the international media continues to portra. IsraeliPrime /inister 0en1amin 2etan.ahu as a hardliner@ un-illing to compromise -ith his Palestinian interlocutors. Aor e!ample@ The Independent beat on the overused canard that 2etan.ahu approving settlement pro1ects impedes peace prospects -hile The Duardian -rote that 2etan.ahu>s negotiation tactics are EhardlineF and Euncompromising.F %#< Palestinian o icials@ not surprisingl.@ have echoed these sentiments -hile continuing to stic5 to their polic. o insisting that all their demands be met -ithout an. concessions on their part. In act@ the Palestinians re use to even so ten their bargaining position - a Palestinian o icial involved -ith the negotiations lea5ed that the P" insists on a ull right-o -return@ the release o all prisoners in Israeli 1ails@ the abilit. to sign agreements -ithout Israeli intervention@ control over -ater and border crossings -ith Israel.%#; "s /aen :ashid "rei5at@ the P+O>s chie representative to the8nited *tates@ said in earl. October (0#3@ E'e cannot accept a compromise Gon 7erusalem as capitalH V it -ould undermine the creation o a Palestinian state.F%#& /ean-hile@ 2etan.ahu has repeated his commitment to a t-o-state solution@ and made good-ill gestures to the Palestinians in hopes o achieving peace. In particular@ a ter sa.ing he -ould not do so@ 2etan.ahu de ied members o his o-n government and instituted a Juiet ree?e o settlement construction in the 'est 0an5.3;$ 2etan.ahu has done even more to help individual Palestinians and their amilies - in *eptember (0#3@ he agreed to grant 6@000 permits@ in addition to the 36@000 previousl. approved@ to allo- Palestinian laborers to -or5 inside Israel.3&#

In "ugust (0#3@ 2etan.ahu authori?ed the irst phase in a our-stage release o more than #00 Palestinian terrorists rom Israeli 1ails to satis . a Palestinians demands to begin negotiations.%#$ T-o months later@ despite strong opposition rom members o his ruling coalition@ 2etan.ahu approved the release o (< prisoners in the second phase.%(0 "ll o those released -ere convicted or murder@ or attempted murder. Aamilies -ho lost loved ones murdered b. those released are understandabl. upset@ nevertheless@ 2etan.ahu said he must Ehonor government decisions@ even i it is di icult and unpleasantF - hardl. the stance o a hardline leader tr.ing to obstruct the peace process.%(# 'hat has Israel received in return or these con idence-building measuresL 2othing. 2ot peace@ not direct tal5s -ith Palestinian leaders@ not a cessation o violence and not an. reciprocal concessions. In act@ incitement continues to gro-ithin the P"@ there has been a dramatic upsurge in terror incidents emanating rom the 'est 0an5 and roc5et attac5s have rene-ed rom Da?a.%(( The onl. statements coming rom the Palestinian side are the -ell--orn belligerent e!pressions o intransigence@ such as the message P" President /ahmoud "bbas gave during the ceremon. -elcoming bac5 the released prisoners on October ($. "There -ill never be a deal -ith Israel i even 1ust one prisoner remains behind bars@" said "bbas. "'e are obligated to continue using an. measure to ree all prisoners until the. return home."%(3 The discussions bet-een the t-o parties have involved 5e. o icials but neither leader. To 1umpstart the tal5s2etan.ahu has called or ace-to- ace tal5s -ith "bbas. "s o the end o October (0#3@ "bbas remained un-illing to sit -ith the one person -ho ultimatel. must be persuaded that an agreement can be reached that recogni?es Israel as a 7e-ish state and provides the securit. Israelis need.

Sources:
283

0ara5 :avid@ EAormer 8.*. envo.B /ideast peace stalemate could lead to 'est 0an5 violence@F 9aaret? (October (<@ (0##). 284 'ashington Post 4ditorial 0oard@ EOverheated :hetoric on Israeli *ettlements@F 'ashington Post@ (7anuar. #@ (0#3). 285 Ibid. 286 Ibid. 287 Ibid. 288 =oes Iran 9ave *omething in *toreL" 'all *treet 7ournal ("ugust #0@ (00<). 289 ":a san1ani *a.s /uslims *hould 8se 2uclear 'eapon "gainst Israel@" Iran Press *ervice (=ecember #%@ (00#). 290 7T"@ ",err.B :esuming peace tal5s@ stopping nuclear Iran are priorities@" 7e-ish Telegraphic "genc.@ (7anuar. (6@ (0#3). 291 'all *treet 7ournal 4ditorial 0oard@ EThe Palestine /irageB " utile 8.2. gesture that

violates the #$$3 Oslo "ccords@F 'all *treet 7ournal@ (2ovember 30@ (0#(). 292 "P and Times o Israel *ta @ E/ashaal vo-s to continue ighting Israel rather than give up Xan. inch> o Palestine@F Times o Israel@ (=ecember &@ (0#(). 293 7oint Israeli Palestinian Poll@ Palestinian 3enter or Polic. and *urve. :esearch@ (=ecember (0#(). 294 Ibid 295 Oren ,essler@ E)Muiet) "rab 3oalition *upports "ttac5 on Iran@F 7erusalem Post@ (2ovember $@ (0##). 296 7ames :eisen@ E*ee5ing 2uclear Insight in Aog o the ".atollah>s 8tterances@F 2e- Ior5 Times@ ("pril #3@ (0#(). 297 /artin ,ramer@ "3huc5 9agel and +in5age@" The 'ee5l. *tandard@ (7anuar. #6@ (0#3). 298 3ongressional :ecord@ "/iddle 4ast - " :egion in 3risisB *enate =ebate@" +ibrar. o 3ongress@ (7ul. 3#@ (00<). 299 3huc5 9agel@ "mericaB Our 2e!t 3hapter@ (2IB 9arper3ollins@ (00&)@ p.&(. 300 =aniel Pipes@ The +ong *hado-B 3ulture W Politics in the /iddle 4ast@ (27B Transaction Publishers@ #$&$)@ pp. (;3C;%. 301 /artin ,ramer@ "3huc5 9agel and +in5age@" The 'ee5l. *tandard@ (7anuar. #6@ (0#3). 302 7e re. Doldberg@ "*leep. 3huc5 9agel 9as *ome 0igger Muestions to "ns-er@" 0loomberg 2e-s (7anuar. 3#@ (0#3). 303 3haim +evinson@ "Israel Introduces )Palestinian onl.) bus lines@ ollo-ing complaints rom 7e-ish settlers@" 9aaret?@ (/arch 3@ (0#3). 304 7ose Aederman@ ")Palestinian) buses dra- peace camp ire@ but get nod rom riders@" Times o Israel@ (/arch 6@ (0#3). 305 3haim +evinson@ ""s Israel)s separate bus lines start rolling@ some Palestinians don)t seem to mind@" 9aaret?@ (/arch %@ (0#3). 306 7oel Dreenberg@ EIsraeli buses drive a ne- -edge@F 'ashington Post@ (/arch <@ (0#3). 307 "Israel)s Palestinian-onl. buses )torched)@" "l-1a?eera@ (/arch 6@ (0#3). 308 Thomas 4. =onilon@ "9e?bollah 8nmas5ed@" 2e- Ior5 Times@ (Aebruar. #;@ (0#3). 309 Ibid. 310 "48 reportedl. loath to blac5list 9e?bollah@" Times o Israel@ (Aebruar. #;@ (0#3). 311 "*tud.B *derot roc5et attac5s increased miscarriages@F 7T"@ (Aebruar. (6@ (0#3). 311 "Palestinian :oc5ets and the 3hildren o *derot@" ArontPage /aga?ine@ (Aebruar. (3@ (0#0). 313 "*tud.B /ost *derot ,ids 4!hibit Post-Traumatic *tress *.mptoms@" 9aaret?@ (7anuar. #&@ (00;). 314 "The Invisible Rictims O The Da?a 3on lict@F 2e- Ior5 7e-ish 'ee5@ (2ovember #<@ (0#(). 315 0en 4hrenreich@ "Is This 'here the Third Inti ada 'ill *tartL" 2e- Ior5 Times (/arch #6@ (0#3). 316 0en 'hite@ "Peace ul Palestinian :esistance is Pa.ing O @" 3hristian *cience /onitor (Aebruar. ##@ (0#0); :ichard 0oudreau!@ "Palestinian 'ho *ee 2on-Riolence as their 'eapon@" +os "ngeles Times (2ovember %@ (00$). 317 Itamar Aleishman@ "/imouna Duest o 9onorB Paramedic 'ho *aved "dele@" I24T

2e-s ("pril (@ (0#3). 318 Itamar Aleishman@ "3-Iear-Old 3riticall. In1ured b. *tones near "riel@" I24T 2e-s (/arch #6@ (0#3). 318a "$ Israelis@ # Palestinian 9urt in 'est 0an5 :oc5 "ttac5@" Times o Israel (October (;@ (0#3). 319 3haim +evinson@ "Aatal 'est 0an5 3ar 3rash 3aused b. Palestinian *toneThro-ing@" 9aaret? (*eptember (6@ (0##). 320 "Iehuda *hoham@" Israel /inistr. o Aoreign " airs (7une ##@ (0##). 321 "Israeli Teenagers )*toned to =eath)@" 003 2e-s (/a. $@ (00#). 322 ":oc5s can ,ill@" Israel =e ense Aorces (/arch #&@ (0#3). 323 Ibid. 324 EPalestinian 4conomic 0ulletin@F The Portland Trust ("pril (0#(). 325 E*eeds o violence@F 7erusalem Post ("pril #3@ (0#3). 326 /oti 0asso5@ "Israel shells out almost a i th o national budget on de ense@ igures sho-@" 9aaret? (Aeb #%@ (0#3). 327 "mira 9ass@ "Palestinian budget re lects P")s dependence on Israel@ 8.*.@" 9aaret? (/arch 3#@ (0#3) 328 Ibid. 329 E:eportB =espite 0udget 3risis P" Pa.s /illions to 3onvicts@F The "lgemeiner ("pril 6@ (0#3). 330 E'est 0an5@F 8nited 2ations :elie and 'or5s "genc. or Palestine :e ugees in the 2ear 4ast (accessed "pril (0#3). 331 Tom ,ludt@ "ObamaB *.ria)s 8se o 3hemical 'eapons )'ill 3hange /. 3alculus)@" Tal5ing Points /emo ("pril (<@ (0#3). 332 "9agelB 2o "ction 8ntil *.rian *arin "ttac5s Aull. "ssessed@" "ssociated Press ("pril 30@ (0#3). 333 "Aacts "bout *arin@" 3enters or =isease 3ontrol and Prevention ("ccessed "pril 30@ (0#3). 334 "'eapons o /ass =estructionB 3hemical 'eapons@" Dlobal *ecurit. ("ccessed "pril 30@ (0#3). 335 7Post *ta @ "P/B Israel :ead. to =e end Itsel "gainst *.rian '/=@" 7erusalem Post ("pril #&@ (0#3). 336 ,else. =avenport and =aniel 9orner@ "Obama 'arns *.ria on 3hemical "rms@" "rms 3ontrol "ssociation@ ("ccessed "pril 30@ (0#3). 337 Roice o Palestine@ "lgiers@ (*eptember (@ #$$3) 338 7Post *ta @ ""bbas e!pects 8* pressure to push out 2etan.ahu@" 7erusalem Post (/a. ($@ (00$). 339 "l-"Jsa TR (=ecember #%@ (0##). 340 "Te!tB 0eirut =eclaration@" 003 (/arch (&@ (00(). 341 "l-/anar TR (7anuar. (6@ (00<). 342 0en1amin 2etan.ahu@ "*peech at the Opening o the ,nesset *ummer *ession@" Israel /inistr. o Aoreign " airs (/a. #<@ (0##). 343 "DatesB 2o blan5 chec5 rom 8* to Israel on Iran@" 7erusalem Post (October 6@ (0#().

344 345

4ban@ "bba. "bba 4ban. 2IB :andom 9ouse@ #$;;@ p. 36&. +.ndon 0. 7ohnson@ The Rantage PointB Perspectives o the Presidenc. #$<3C#$<$@ (2IB 9olt@ :inehart and 'inston@ #$;#)@ p. ($$. 346 *achar@ 9o-ard. " 9istor. o IsraelB Arom the :ise o Sionism to Our Time. 2IB "l red ". ,nop @ #$$&@ p. <($. 347 *hirad 0o?orgmehr@ E:ouhani is Iran>s 2e!t President " ter "ppealing to Tradition@ :e orm@F 322 (7une #6@ (0#3); EIranian President-elect 9assan :ouhani Pledges Path o /oderation@F The Duardian (7une #;@ (0#3); /a! Aisher@ EIran>s 2e!t President@ 9assan :ouhani@ *een as 0est 9ope or 4nding 2uclear *tando -ith 'est@F 'ashington Post (7une #6@ (0#3). 348 +ouis 3harbonneau@ E:ohani Once "ppoved o 9iding Iran "tomic 'or5@F :euters (7une #$@ (0#3). 349 EPresident-elect>s Airst Press 3on erence@F :ouhani.Ir (7une #&@ (0#3). 350 E:a san1ani and Iran>s 2uclear Program@F Iran " airs (Aebruar. 6@ (0#0). 351 "vi Issacharo @ EThe :egime 'anted 9im to 'in@F The To-er (7une #<@ (0#3). 352 E2u5es are Iran>s XInalienable rights@> its 2e- President *a.s@F 7T" (7une #&@ (0#3). 353 Aredri5 =ahl@ EIran 2uclear Program "dvances =espite *anctionsB I"4" 3hie @F :euters (7une #;@ (0#3). 36% /ichal *hmulovich@ E,err.>s peace plan includes Xsettlement ree?e outside ma1or blocs@>F Times o Israel (7ul. <@ (0#3). 366 9erb ,einon@ E48 o iciall. publishes settlement guidelines despite Israeli ob1ections@F 7erusalem Post (7ul. #$@ (0#3). 36< =ouglas /urra.@ E>Occupied Territories>B 'hat "bout 3.prus@ ,ashmir@ TibetLF Datestone Intitute (7ul. (3@ (0#3). 36; Deorge '. 0ush@ "*peech to the "merican 7e-ish 3ommittee@" (/a. 3@ (00#). 36& EDa?a *trip@F 3I" 'ord Aactboo5 (0#3; E'est 0an5@F 3I" 'ord Aactboo5 (0#3. 36$ "AP@ E9amas re1ects return to /ideast peace tal5s@F "l "rabi.a (7ul. (0@ (0#3). 3<0 "AP@ EPalestinian part. re1ects /ideast peace tal5s@F I2et (7ul. ($@ (0#3); "2ablusB 4lements o the le t demonstrating against negotiations@" Palestine Press 2e-s "genc. (7ul. 30@ (0#3). 3<# ":eport on 9uman :ights Practices or (0##B Occupied Palestinian Territories@" 8nited *tates =epartment o *tate (/a. (0#(). 3<( ,haled "bu Toameh@ E"bbas Ro-sB 2o :oom or Israelis in Palestinian state@F The 7erusalem Post@ =ecember (6@ (0#0). 3<3 Oren =orell@ EP+O ambassador sa.s Palestinian state should be ree o 7e-s@F 8*" TO="I (*eptember #&@ (0##). 3<% 2oah 0ro-ning@ E"bbas -ants Xnot a single Israeli> in uture Palestinian state@F :euters (7ul. ($@ (0#3). 3<6 Iaron =ruc5man@ "Identities o prisoners up or release revealed@" I2et@ 7ul. (;@ (0#3. 3<< Ioram 4ttinger@ "'ater or uel to the ireL" Israel 9a.om@ "ugust (@ (0#3. 3<; Prisoner :elease +ist (9ebre-)@ Israel Prison *ervice (*habas)@ "ugust #3@ (0#3 (in 9ebre-). 3<& 9aviv :ettig and "aron ,alman@ ""mong the terrorists to be released@ the murderer o a 9olocaust survivor@" Times o Israel@ "ugust #(@ (0#3.

3<$ 3;0

"li *alim@ E0egin on *aturda.@ Ainish on *unda.@F Datestone Institute ("ugust (#@ (0#3). "4g.ptB /ass "ttac5s on 3hurches@" 9uman :ights 'atch ("ugust ((@ (0#3). 3;# ,areem Aahim@ EIslamists *tep 8p "ttac5s on 3hristians@F 2e- Ior5 Times ("ugust (0@ (0#3). 3;( E3hristians ,illed in *.ria@F The Tablet ("ugust (3@ (0#3). 3;3 *ta @ EAor "rab 'orld>s 3hristians@ "n 8ncertain Aate@F 2P: ("ugust (6@ (0#3). 3;% /ideast 2e-s@ E:ussian O icial 8rges =e ense o 3hristians in *.ria@F 3hristian Post ("ugust (#@ (0#3). 3;6 International :eligious Areedom :eport or (0#( C *audi "rabia@F 8.*. *tate =epartment 3;< EDuideB 3hristians in the /iddle 4ast@F 003 2e-s (October ##@ (0##). 3;; Ioram 4ttinger@ E0ethlehem 'ill 0ecome To-n o 3hurches =evoid o 3hristians@F IsraPundit (=ecember ($@ (00;). 3;& EInternational :eligious Areedom :eport or (0#( C Israel@F 8.*. *tate =epartment 3;$ "0en1amin 2etan.ahu *ignals 'illingness to Aree?e *ettlements@" :euters (7une #0@ (0#3). 3&0 Iarom =ruc5man@ "Identities o Prisoners 8p or :elease :evealed@" I2et 2e-s (7ul. (;@ (0#3). 3&# 9erb ,einon@ "Israel "pproves 6@000 /ore Palestinian 'or5 Permits@" 7erusalem Post (*eptember &@ (0#3). 3&( "vi Issacharo @ ""bbas :e1ected 2etan.ahu O er to Aree 60 Pre-Oslo Prisoners or 2eTal5s@" Times o Israel (7une #0@ (0#3). 3&3 *harona *h-art?@ ""s Obama Pushes or Peace Process@ "bbas Ro-s 2o Israeli n Palestine@" The 0la?e (7ul. 30@ (0#3). 3&% =aniel 4strin@ "Israel 3omplains to 8* Over Palestinian +ea5s@" "ssociated Press (*eptember &@ (0#3). 3&6 "Introducing the 0=* /ovement@" 0=* /ovement 3&6 /oti 0asso5@ "Israel@ Palestinian "uthorit. *ign 0ilateral Trade "greements@" 9aaret? ("ugust #@ (0#(). 3&; "Israel Aoreign Trade =ata@" Israel 3entral 0ureau o *tatistics ((0#(). 3&& 9erb ,einon@ "Israel "pproves 6@000 /ore Palestinian 'or5 Permits@" 7erusalem Post (*eptember &@ (0#3). 3&$ ,haled "bu Toameh@ "(0@000 Palestinians 'or5ing in *ettlements@ *urve. Ainds@" 7erusalem Post ("ugust #6@ (0#3). 3$0 "mira 9ass@ "*tud.B Palestinians Invest T-ice as /uch in Israel as The. =o in 'est 0an5@" 9aaret? (2ovember ((@ (0##). 3$# :ichard 0ehar@ ""n Israeli *pecial Aorces 3ommando@ an "rab Investor@ " :eligious Sionist - "nd a 9ot *tart-8p 3alled 'eb.do@" Aorbes (7ul. (&@ (0#3). 3$( Philip 'eiss@ "Omar 0arghouti@ Tel "viv *tudent@ on the 8niversit.)s :e usal to 4!pel 9im@" /ondo-eiss (/a. $@ (00$). 3$3 /i5e *huster@ EIran>s 2uclear Aat-aB " Polic. Or " Plo.L@F 2P: (7une #%@ (0#(). 3$% E:emar5s b. President Obama in "ddress to the 8nited 2ations Deneral "ssembl.@F 'hite 9ouse (*eptember (%@ (0#3); "/4/:IB Iranian at-a against nuclear -eapons not real@ despite Obama claim@" 72* (*eptember 30@ (0#3)

3$6

/ichael 4isenstadt@ E2uclear Aat-a@F 'ashington Institute (*eptember (0##); Aareed Sa5aria@ EThe. /a. or /a. 2ot 'ant the 0omb@F 2e-s-ee5 (/a. ((@ (00$). 3$< E*pecial =ispatchB :eport Y6%<#@F /4/:I (*eptember ($@ (0#3). 3$; Patric5 Doodenough@ EIranian 2uclear XAat-a> 3ited b. Obama /a. 2ot 4!ist@F 32* 2e-s (October #@ (0#3). 3$& EPhon. Aat-aL Droup 3laims Iranian anti-nu5e edict cited b. Obama a hoa!@F AOU 2e-s (*eptember 30@ (0#3). 3$$ E0oard :eportB DORP(0#3P%0@F International "tomic 4nerg. "genc. ("ugust (0#3). %00 *aeed ,amali =ehghan@ "2on-"ligned /ovement *ummitB )Iou)d Thin5 Iran -as 9osting the Ol.mpics)@" The Duardian("ugust 30@ (0#(). %0# *teven 4rlanger@ "0ritain and Iran /ove to :epair =iplomatic :elations@" 2e- Ior5 Times (October &@ (0#3). %0#a Iran =ail. 0rie s (October (6@ (0#3; October (6@ (0#3; October (6@ (0#3) %0( *teven +ee /e.ers@ "Obama 4!empts 7apan W #0 4uropean 2ations rom Iran *anctions +a-@" 2eIor5 Times (/arch (0@ (0#(). %03 A":* 2e-s "genc. (*eptember (<@ (0#3). %0% 3on 3oughlin@ ":ouhani 'on)t =ecide on 2uclear Iran@" 'all *treet 7ournal (October #@ (0#3). %06 0enn. /orris@ The 0irth o the Palestinian :e ugee Problem :evisited@ (/"B 3ambridge 8niversit. Press@ (00%)@ p. 6$0. %0< /iddle 4ast *tudies@ (7anuar. #$&<); *ee also@ /orris@ pp. (<3@ 6$0C(. %0; EInternationalB On the 4veL@F Time /aga?ine@ (/a. 3@ #$%&). %0& +ondon =ail. /ail@ ("ugust #(@ #$%&) cited in *hmuel ,at?@ 0attlegroundB Aact and Aantas. in Palestine@ (Ta.lor Publications +tdB (00()@ p. #3. %0$ 4d-ard "ti.ah@ The "rabs@ (+ondonB Penguin 0oo5s@ #$66)@ p. #&3. %#0 Iehosho at 9ar5abi@ "rab "ttitudes to Israel@ (7erusalemB Israel 8niversities Press@ #$;()@ p. 3<%. %## The /emoirs o 9aled al "?m@ (0eirut@ #$;3)@ Part #@ pp. 3&<C;. %#( ,ing "bdallah@ /. /emoirs 3ompleted@ (+ondonB +ongman Droup@ +td.@ #$;&)@ p. !vi %#3 "l-9a.at al-7adida@ (=ecember #3@ (00<)@ Juoted in Itamar /arcus and 0arbara 3oo5@ EThe 4volving Palestinian 2arrativeB "rabs 3aused the :e ugee Problem@F Palestinian /edia 'atch@ (/a. (0@ (00&). %#% Itamar /arcus@ ""bbas) 82 *peech 3ontradicts his ):e ugee) 9istor.@" Palestinian /edia 'atch (October #0@ (0#3). %#6 /orris@ p. 6$(. %#< 9arriet *her-ood@ "2etan.ahuB Occupation is not 3ause o 3on lict@" The Duardian (October ;@ (0#3); and@ "listair =a-ber@ "/iddle 4ast Peace Process 9its *tumbling 0loc5@" The Independent (7ul. 3#@ (0#3). %#; Ilan 0en-Sion@ "Palestinians /a5e *ti +and =emands or Peace@" Times o Israel (October (;@ (0#3). %#& 7acob =onnell.@ "P+O :epresentative "rei5atB Palestine /ust *top 3oncessions to Israel@" The =ail. Princeton (October ;@ (0#3). %#$ 0en 9arris@ "'ho Israel :eleased@" 7T" ("ugust #%@ (0#3).

%(0

7odi :udoren@ "Prisoner :elease *tirs "nger in Israeli 3oalition@" 2e- Ior5 Times (October (&@ (0#3). %(# "2etan.ahu on Prisoner :eleaseB Promises /ust be ,ept@" 7erusalem Post (October (;@ (0#3). %(( "'est 0an5 *eeing )In ectious 'ave o "ttac5)@" 7erusalem Post (October ((@ (0#3) %(3 ""bu /a?en Dreets the Prisoners@" Iediot "hronoth (October 30@ (0#3).