OP-ED: EXITING A DEAD END
William Raspberry, Washington Post, 8/5/02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A44036-2002Aug4.html
We must not reward terrorism. The White House says it with sorrow. The
Israeli prime minister says it with impressive determination. Pundits say
it as though it is stone-carved truth.
We must not reward terrorism -- by demolishing the West Bank settlements,
by negotiating with Yasser Arafat (or even accepting the legitimacy of his
leadership), by withdrawing Israeli troops from Palestinian territory or,
above all, by seriously pushing for Palestinian statehood.
The admonition is repeated as though its meaning is crystal clear. But
what, in fact, does it mean?
It is supposed to mean, of course, that Israel (and the United States, its
chief supporter) will not call off the military action or press for a
Palestinian homeland in the face of the continuing suicide bombings.
But isn't the implication that all these things will happen if the
Palestinians stop the suicide bombings, dump Arafat and otherwise behave?
Is it believable that Israel will make -- can make -- the critical
concessions in the absence of pressure that it could not make at the peak
of pressure? Isn't that like expecting civil rights demonstrators to call
off their marches in the hope that Bull Connor will escort them to the
registrar's office, or expecting the World Trade Organization to modify its
policies if only the protesters behaved civilly, or expecting management to
accede to labor's demands if the picketers will just shelve their
embarrassing placards and their nasty threats to strike...?
It isn't as though the ribbon to the new state of Palestine was about to be
cut -- until the suicide bombers canceled the ceremony. Are the
Palestinians wrong to doubt that statehood will ever be their reward for
good behavior, when no one seemed to pay much attention to their distress
until the intifada?
My reason for mentioning labor disputes and civil rights marches is simple:
Groups that need change understand that relaxing the pressure usually works
against them. The whole point of the pressure is to give the other side an
interest in changing. The Palestinians need change...
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