We of the Zionist peace camp applaud Pres. Obama’s vision and support his clear statement that the “status quo is unsustainable” and in his laying out markers for all sides to achieve peace. We agree with him that Israel’s task must include ending the expansion of settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Protestations from Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Peres notwithstanding, Israel’s secure future lies with ending settlement activity.
As at least one Israeli has pointed out, since when does a baby need a new house? Also asked was why does a newly married couple require a home in the same town as their parents?
But there are no easy formulas. I was impressed by how Ethan Bronner’s NY Times article of May 28, on the Gaza situation, captured its complexity. In this spirit, you may wish to read my recent article in “In These Times” magazine, which includes an expanded version online.
You may also wish to check out the most recent column of our chaver, Ken Brociner, at InTheseTimes.com. Ken refutes Naomi Klein’s simplistic economic determinist argument for Israel’s rightward turn. She actually thinks that Israel’s economic elite is now against peace because its thriving security sector is too lucrative, and that this is determinative of the country’s foreign policy — with no consideration given to the real security threats posed by Hamas and Hezbollah.
In similar appreciation of President Obama’s stance on Israel-Palestine at Cairo, Boston Review has published an article on viable options to solving the conflict in the Middle East. Jeremy Pressman, author of “The Best Hope – Still?”, available at http://www.bostonreview.net, ultimately decides the two-state solution is the “best hope” as of right now. Boston Review also has a Shulman first hand account of a day on the Palestinian border – “A Simple Truth”. People interested in recent developments on the Israeli-Palestinian border should check out both.