Give Up Your Right Arm for Peace

Egyptian and Jordanian ministers visited Israel for high level peace talks today. They promised Israel recognition and normal relations in return for Israeli withdrawal to pre-1967 borders and the creation of an independent Palestinian state within Israel's current borders.

Promising. Great. The question is this: Who are they? Meaning, the point of contention is between Israel and the palestinian refugees, who are supposedly represented by the Palestinian Authority. The neighboring Arab countries really have no say in the matter. Sure they can aid in the negotiations and pressure the Palestinians, but they cannot guarantee Palestinian cooperation, nor can they make deals on their behalf. Furthermore, Hamas maintains its refusal to recognize Israel, despite anything Egypt or Jordan or even the Fatah-led PA emergency cabinet can will say.

The whole thing is a misnomer. It is like Chad or Kenya saying, "We will grant recognition to the refugees in Darfur if they give us a pound of flesh." Even if they desperately wanted recognition and gave up a pound of their flesh, Chadese or Kenyan recognition will not help them because they are being pursued by Sudan. The NYT is hopeful. Probably hopeful that it will be able to use this somehow to make Israel look bad.

I am going to start an organization called GUYRAP? Give up your right arm for peace. It will be a parody of the so-called peace organizations that recommend doing essentially just that, only most of these don't seem to fully appreciate their right arms.