Kehillat Ma'arav - Santa Monica, CA | Conservative Synagogue

Voice Articles

Home > Education > Voice Articles > From the Bimah > January 2008

From the Bimah
January 2008

Two weeks ago the Middle Eastern conference on peace convened at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. One day prior, the patriarch of Muslim/Arab studies, Bernard Lewis, wrote a piece in the Wall St. Journal entitled, "On the Jewish Question." (WSJ November 26, 2007) Lewis, 91, is professor emeritus at Princeton and has not too long ago authored his most recent book, From Babel to Dragomans: Interpreting the Middle East (Oxford University Press 2005).

In his Journal piece, Lewis succinctly encapsulates the ongoing problem Israel faces with its neighbors. He writes: "What is the conflict about? There are basically two possibilities: that it is about the size of Israel, or about its existence." Lewis continues: "If the issue is about the size of Israel, then we have a straightforward border problem, like Alsace-Lorraine or Texas. That is to say, not easy, but possible to solve in the long run, and to live with in the meantime. If, on the other hand, the issue is the existence of Israel, then clearly it is insoluble by negotiation. There is no compromise position between existing and not existing, and no conceivable government of Israel is going to negotiate on whether that country should or should not exist."

That's it! Truly, it's as basic -- if not as simple -- as that. Either Israel's neighbors are willing to acknowledge and accept Israel's right to exist, or they don't. The substantive issues haven't changed since Israel was conceived by an internal vote of 6 to 4, and then internationally given birth to by a majority vote in the United Nations 60 years ago. Without a genuine acceptance of Israel's right to exist as an independent Jewish State by her neighbors, peace cannot be negotiatedÑperiod.

PLO and other Palestinian spokesmen have occasionally given formal indications of recognition of Israel in their diplomatic discourses in foreign languages. But as Bernard Lewis points out, "That's not the message delivered at home in Arabic, in everything from primary school textbooks to political speeches and religious sermons." As an acclaimed linguist, Lewis further makes the point, "Here the terms used in Arabic denote, not the end of hostilities, but an armistice or truce, until such time that the war against Israel can be resumed with better prospects for success."

There have been and continue to be signs of change in some Arab parts to accept Israel and appreciate the good it can bring to the region. But as Lewis writes: "Such opinions are only furtively expressed. Sometimes, those who dare to express them are jailed or worse. These opinions have as yet little or no impact on the leadership."

So what are we to do; we who love and care about Israel? For certain, we need to maintain hope, while at the same time continually keep our eye on the central point. Let's be clear: The issue isn't about the Palestinian refugee question, nor is it about water rights or religious access to holy sites -- or economics, or even where the border should be drawn. It boils down to one central question: Do you accept Israel's right to exist as an independent Jewish State in the same way the more than 20 members of the Arab League exist as Arab StatesÑor the much larger number of members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference exist as Islamic states.

Once that key question is answered in the affirmative, conferences such as the one held in Annapolis will produce lasting, beneficial results for all legitimate pursuers of peace.

Rabbi Michael Gotlieb