Editor's Letter

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Obama's U.N. Veto Crucial

He's right. Such circumvention would only serve to further
W Nether it's a political ploy to unnerve Israeli leaders
delegitimize Israel and its authority.
or a bold appeal to the international community, the
Pundits are speculating that the Palestinians either want to
Palestinian threat to seek international recognition of
statehood from the United Nations demands a sharp rebuke from scare Israel back to talking or want a new strategy via interna-
tional posturing that might bring statehood sooner. I like how
President Obama.
The Obama administration must veto Israel correspondent Leslie Susser of the New York-based Jewish
any attempt by the Palestinian Authority Telegraphic Agency put it, "Either way, given Israel's precarious
position on the international stage and the lack of international
(PA.) and its allies within the U.N. to
support for its West Bank settlement construction policy, the
get the U.N. Security Council to pass a
Palestinian threat carries weight and is being taken very seriously
resolution to create a Palestinian state
in Jerusalem:
unilaterally and not as a result of talks
between Israel's Netanyahu coalition
Ramallah's Way
government in Jerusalem and the P.A.'s
Don't pooh-pooh the notion that the P.A. thinks a better deal
Abbas-Fatah leadership in Ramallah.
awaits by stonewalling Israel.
Under the glare of public scrutiny,
Robert Sklar
In a cogent analysis on Oct. 26, the Zionist Organization of
Israeli, Palestinian and U.S. leaders all
Editor
America related, "In late August, an 'Appointment with Freedom
prefer a negotiated peace deal to any
plan presented by P.A. Prime Minister Salaam Fayyad foreshad-
unilateral — and highly agitating —
action. But the Palestinians vow to seek being recognized through owed that the P.A. is not thinking in terms of negotiations, but in
terms of obtaining a Palestinian state without dealing with Israel."
the U.N. along the pre-1967 armistice lines with east Jerusalem as
Staying silent could create the illusion that the U.S. would agree
its capital. That would be a travesty.
to support, or would abstain from voting on, a Security Council
First, a state along the 1949 armistice lines would give the
resolution backing statehood outside the borders of negotia-
P.A. a state void of concessions or negotiations — and repel
tion. ZOA National President Morton
legitimate Israeli claims dating back to
Klein reminds that failing to speak up
the Six-Day War in 1967 when Israel
"merely gives the P.A. incentive not to
was attacked by its Arab neighbors.
negotiate and to attempt this exercise
Some 600,000 Jews today live beyond
in the Security Council."
the 1949 armistice line; what would
America's international standing
become of them and their security?
has
taken a few blows, but it's still
Second, I see no circumstance in which
influential,
especially when it comes to
Jerusalem should be considered any-
Israel,
our
staunchest
Middle East ally.
thing but the eternal capital of Israel
Susser
shares
the
growing
belief
and the Jewish people.
in
the
Arab
world
that
if
the
U.S.-
The world should only accept a
mediated peace process with Israel
settlement negotiated and agreed to by
P.A. President Mahmoud Abbas greets Finnish
goes nowhere, the Palestinians can
the Israelis and the Palestinians.
President Tarja Halonenin in Ramallah
gain world approval for an already
There's urgency to Obama stepping
on
Oct.
14.
under-construction Palestinian state
up and thwarting unilateral interna-
with
conditions and a timetable favor-
tional recognition of Palestinian state-
able to the Palestinians. The battleground for this alternative: the
hood given that Israeli-Palestinian peace talks are stalled after
U.N.
reviving for four weeks in September and Israel seems unmoved
Given support from the nonaligned and Muslim states, the
to restart them by reinstating a partial settlement freeze in the
Palestinians easily would secure a majority for statehood in the
West Bank. During the 10-month freeze that ended on Sept. 26,
General Assembly. `But the Palestinians want more than mere
the P.A. neither seemed inclined to arrest anti-Israel terrorists nor
recognition: They want a binding allocation of territory based
to stop incitement to hatred and murder against Israel and Jews.
on the 1967 borders': says Susser. And for that, they would likely
P.A.-controlled news media, mosques, schools and youth camps
seek a resolution from the U.S Security Council, whose votes are
nurture the violence and terrorism targeting the Jewish state.
binding. Because the U.S. has veto power over the Council, the
Palestinians would require Obama's backing.
Standing Strong
There's no reason the president shouldn't quell any suspicion
Obama saying resoundingly that he would veto any Security
Council resolution affirming a Palestinian state should be routine; that would go along with a unilateral end by either side to the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict. By quelling such suspicion, he effec-
all along, he has called a negotiated peace pivotal to Middle East
tively would deter the Palestinian Authority from pursuing that
stability.
kind of politically destructive end.
Fearful of Abbas actually approaching the U.N. with European
Diplomacy is the only credible solution to lasting peace.
support, Netanyahu wisely is working with Obama's representa-
tives in hopes of developing a plan to rekindle the peace process
once more, this time with sea legs so it doesn't collapse again in a
Are American Jews outspoken enough
matter of weeks.
in supporting Israeli interests?
10 La i
"Any attempt by the Palestinians to circumvent this process by
going to international organizations is not realistic and will not,
Z z Should Obama say he would veto the
in any way, advance a genuine peace process' Netanyahu told his
O O H projected unilateral U.N. resolution?
a. 0-
Cabinet on Oct. 24.

Bob Wakely with Jonah Erlich

For his Mitzvah project,

Jonah Erlich wanted to

combine two things he is

passionate about — JARC

and reading. Over the

summer, Jonah visited

JARC's Rosen RRR Program

twice a week to read aloud

and discuss Old Yeller.

Now Jonah is ready to

continue with his book club

even after his mitzvah

hours have been met!

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November 4 • 2010 5

