Give and take

In his letter to the editor published in the Dec. 2 issue, Jack Marcus says that Pres. Obama must lay down the law, especially with Israel, to get peace negotiations started again. He specifically blames the Jewish settlements in the West Bank and in Jerusalem as the reason negotiations have failed.

This is pure nonsense.

Israeli governments, both liberal and conservative, have for decades made concession after concession to Arab nations and to the Palestinians. Israel has taken many risks for peace over the years.

What concessions have the Palestinians made? Negotiations mean give and take. The Palestinians are all take, and no give. I challenge Mr. Marcus to name one risk for peace that the Palestinian side has made.

The Palestinian leadership must realize that if they don’t belly-up to the negotiating table soon, they may be close to losing their majority status in the West Bank. I’ve heard that the Jewish population of the West Bank is already at the 30 percent mark. If this is true, it is possible for Palestinian intransigence to cost them their statehood.

Maybe to reignite peace negotiations, Pres. Obama should encourage more Jewish settlers to settle in the West Bank. Maybe that would light a fire under the Palestinians.

Israel has made tons of concessions for peace. It’s time for the Palestinians to make some, too.

Mark Meyerowitz
Executive Director
Republican Friends of Israel, Inc.
West Orange