SPECIAL COMBIENTARY

It's Not a Peace Process

tury ago because it was a matter of
national convenience and not a
he recent freeze, thaw and
commitment to a conviction; Sadat
refreeze in Syrian-Israeli
wanted
Sinai returned. Jordan and
negotiations, the tit-for-tat
the
PLO
negotiated with Israel to
attacks and casualties on
uphold
or
gain territorial integrity.
the Lebanese-Israeli border and the
Now,
the
Syrians
and Lebanese are
breakdown and restart in the Palestin-
at the brink of replicating the objec-
ian-Israeli final status talks contain the
tive: Make agreements
same broad lesson: This is
with Israel because you
not a peace process.
want control of your
Lower the bar; the lion
national territory. You
and lamb are not about to
negotiate with Israel
sleep peacefully in the same
because you need to do so,
Middle Eastern meadow.
not because you want to
The Arab-Israeli conflict is
do so.
becoming a series of Arab-
Rather than developing
Israeli relationships. Arab
friendly
state-to-state rela-
states and the Palestinians are
tionships,
like the U.S. val-
accepting Israel out of selfish DR. KE NNETH
ues
with
Canada,
Belgium
national interests, not from a
W S TEIN
enjoys
with
The
Netherlands
love of Zion, for idol worship
Spec ial to
or Kansas has with Nebras-
of Herzl or after an epiphany
the Jew ish News ka, Israeli leaders are danc-
demanding an embrace in
ing a distant minuet with
Jewish nationalism. For
their Arab neighbors rather
some, but not all Arab intel-
than
an
embracing
waltz.
lectuals, writers, political leaders and
Israelis
are
headed
for physical sep-
others, Israel still remains at best a
aration
from
the
Palestinians
with only
stranger in their midst.
economic
and
political
contact
when
We should stop calling it a peace
necessary.
There
are
no
accepting
bear
process because in doing so we artifi-
hugs
in
these
Palestinian-Israeli
cially inflate expectations of what the
embraces, just security collaboration
future should provide.
under American scrutiny when overlap-
Egypt started overt negotiations
ping national interests are served.
with Israel more than a quarter-cen-
Look at how Egypt has sustained a
"cold peace" with Israel. Sadat flew to
Jerusalem in 1977 and broke the psy-
Dr. Kenneth W. Stein teaches Middle
chological barrier of Arab non-recog-
Eastern history and political science at
nition of Israel, but recognizing Israel
Emory University in Atlanta.

T

Atlanta

as a reality then and accepting Israel in
the Middle East now remain distinctly
separate issues.
For two decades, Egypt developed
an art form of doing the minimal in
implementing normal relations with
Israel. In the March 1, 2000, issue of
the prestigious Egyptian Al-Ahram
weekly, Egyptian politicians of the left,

There are no
accepting bear
hugs in these
Palestinian-Israeli
embraces.

center and right concurred in inter-
views that even after an Israeli with-
drawal from territories the historic
struggle with Israel (a euphemism for
Israel's very existence) will continue.
These were the same words uttered
last January, after the current Syrian-
Israeli negotiations went into a deep
freeze. Said Lebanese Prime Minister
Salim al-Huss, "We are determined not
to relinquish an iota of Lebanon's rights
in the settlement process... even if the
political settlement is good enough to be
called peace, peace will not mean the

end of the historical struggle."
In other words, peace with Israel
remains an interim physical stage
because of the imbalance between
strategic Arab weakness and Israeli
strategic strength. Put differently,
making an agreement with Israel is a
contractual understanding, not yet a
transformed collective mental state.
Arab states have recognized and
negotiated with Israel because two
realities persist: Their other options in
dealing with Israel have evaporated
and their collective strength is weaker
than Israel's.
Vis-a-vis the former, large sums of
oil money have dissipated, a conven-
tional Arab military option to threaten
Israel's existence no longer exists and
no great power patron is available to
provide political, financial or military
assistance. On the latter, Arab unity
between states is at best paper thin.
Arab economies are sagging and
their currencies are relatively weak,
domestic infrastructure needs cry for
immediate attention and cures, under
employment and unemployment
abound in staggering proportions as
Arab populations burgeon below the
age of 25. Israel's GDP of $100 billio
is just about equal to the GDP of all
Israel's contiguous Arab neighbors
combined, and globalization is out-
pacing the capacity of Arab states to
keep up with or come close to Israel's
ride on its crest.

PEACE

on page 38

LETTERS

ope and Opportunity

to all those celebrating Passover.
ews across America and around the world celebrate
Klay by gathering with family and friends to share a
retell the story of Passover.
the Haggada, a new generation learns the ancient
ration of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and of their
urney through the desert. By singing songs, reciting
g food and drink steeped in tradition and symbolism,
n to appreciate the rich history of the Jewish people, the impor-
ous freedom and the many blessings God brings to our lives.
as families gather for the seder to once again tell the story of
Passover and of the Israelites' journey to the promised land, let us all give
thanks for God's grace in our lives and for the wonderful blessings of liberty.
Let us pray for a future filled with peace, hope and opportunity for all the
children of the world.
Hillary joins me in extending best wishes for a joyous Passover celebration.
— President Bill Clinton
Washington, D.C.

W:

4/21

2000

36

The Ruling
And Hank

After enjoying the movie The Life and
Times of Hank Greenberg ("Bringing
Hank Home," March 24), I remem-
bered being told that it was, in fact, an
Orthodox rabbi who gave the rabbinic
ruling that allowed Hank Greenberg
to play with the Tigers on Rosh
HaShana in the fall of 1934.
Sure enough, the Sept. 11, 1934,
edition of the Detroit News states that
it was Rabbi Joseph Thumin, an
Orthodox rabbi from thethen-Ortho-
dox Congregation Beth Abraham who
gave the ruling.
This underscores for me the saying,
"Where there is a rabbinic will, there
is a halachic way."
I thought your readers would be

surprised by and interested in this
Tiger lore.

Beverly Bak

Blobmfield Hi

Cooperation
Is Commended

We do indeed live in a community
that is a role model for cooperation
("The Rabbis Interpret," April 14).
The five rabbis — David Cas-
tiglione, Debrah Cohen, "Bunny"
Freedman, Tamara Kolton and
Joseph Krakoff, along with modera
tor Rabbi Aaron Bergman — pro-
vided an enlightening evening at ti
Michigan Jewish AIDS Coalition's
recent forum on Judaism and horn
sexuality.
Aside from the insight into each