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President's Message
April 2008

Someday There Will Be Peace - But Not Today

Through the miracle of You-Tube, I was able to watch the reaction of Palestinians living in Gaza to the murder of eight young Rabbinical students last month. There was public dancing in the streets, the honking of car horns and the distribution of candies in celebration. Lest anyone think that the celebrations were limited to supporters of Hamas, the terrorist perpetrator was lauded as a martyr on the Fatah-controlled media.

I am always perplexed at the temptation to refer to people who act this way as "animals." Animals do not have the capacity to exhibit the kind of hatred that the Palestinians, and indeed much of the Muslim world, direct at Jews. Unfortunately, as our history has repeatedly demonstrated, this sort of hatred is uniquely human. Palestinian society is not animalistic. It is profoundly evil.

This is not to suggest, of course, that all Palestinians are evil. While I believe that the significant majority of Palestinians wish to destroy Israel, and are willing to endure great suffering to that end, I am sure that there are those who, given the chance, would like to live in peace with Jews.

Such individuals either cannot, or do not, participate in the Palestinian body politic. As a result, it is presently pointless, except perhaps for public relations purposes, to engage in a so-called "peace process" with the Palestinians.

When Yitzhak Rabin shook Yassir Arafat's hand on the White House lawn in 1993 to begin the so-called Peace Process, he said to Arafat: "This will not be easy." I have often wondered what was going through Rabin's mind when he said this.

One of the possibilities was that Rabin foresaw how difficult it would be for both leaders to convince their own people to make peace. Of course, we know now that Arafat had no intention of doing so. Rabin, however, dedicated himself to the task and lost his life preparing his people for peace. Rabin is the real martyr.

Despite my belief that peace with the Palestinians is currently impossible, I am optimistic about the long-term future of Israeli-Palestinian conflict. No conflict lasts forever. Israel is ready for peace as soon as a good faith Palestinian partner emerges. As soon as the Palestinians have leaders who are willing to sacrifice for peace instead of murdering Jews, there will be peace.

May it be G-d's will.

Jamie Green
President