European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 23, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 10 the stars and stripes . Rosenthal time to Correct historical distortion in Mideast the Only thing new in the world is the history you Don t know. Harry Truman said thai. Yes. And the most dangerous thing in the world is the history we do know but pretend never happened. That is when people and nations squirm and twist and finally act in duplicity. Trying to escape inc truth of inc past creates a new episode in history usually sadder than it might have Heen. This week is the i oth anniversary or the signing of the israeli egyptian peace treaty that followed he Camp David agreement. La is a Good Lime to face a Basic historical truth about the Middle East and try to Correct a fundamental historical distortion Oral least try. The distortion or to put it straight the lie is that Israel refuses to negotiate for peace. The truth is that Israel has been trying almost since the Day of its Independence four decades Ajo to bring its Arab neighbors any or All to a negotiating table a which their interests and Israel s right to exist in Security As part of the Middle East would by recognized. For to years the Arab answer was rejection and War then Anwar Sadat travelled to Jerusalem and Camp David. To gel his signature on treaty the israelis gave Back the Sinai Peninsula that great Range of liberating openness that their cramped Tittle nation won in Battle. Israel then wailed for another Arab stale to come to the table. In 10 years not one has had the will or the courage 10 do so. Not one. But inc world no longer sees the reality of the mid dle East the fact that for 40 years one israe i state has been struggling against the implacable hostility of a Don a Rah countries. Now suddenly the struggle is seen simply As a con test Between a brutal israeli state and a single Rock throwing palestinian liberation movement. So the phys she is off the arabs and on inc israelis. The sour irony is that the pressure is for Israel to take Steps that would not bring Middle East peace but prolong War and tension. That would happen if another palestinian state in addition to Jordan were to be squeezed into the mid dle East creation of that stale is the driving purpose of the Palestine liberation organization. For Israel to recognize and negotiate directly with the Plo now would inc Vilaboy Lead to that goal. The Arab nations the strength behind the Plo would have committed themselves to nothing except the constantly renewed commitment fora struggle against Israel. Israel has made its own historical error inc Refu Sal to recognize the reality of the palestinian people and passion. .-.". But Israel docs not now have to make a greater Blunder and Clear the Way for another palestinian state that would then Combine with the Arab nations to gel on with the destruction of Israel. ".-., -. President Yasser Arafat of the new Palestine would claim to represent not Only West Bank palestinians. But palestinians in Jordan and in Israel itself. War would follow As night follows Day. The future of inc West Bank lies not with Israel nor Only with the Plo but in some arrangement with the existing palestinian stale of Jordan. King Hussein realizes this. But he fears to make that Telephone Call for peace through direct negotiation that Israel has been awaiting for 20 years. He fears for his life not fear of Israel but inc Plo. There arc paths to Middle East peace but not with out understanding that the West Bank is a symptom not the cause of the unending crisis. The cause is 40 years of Arab rejection ism Arafat cannot give the guarantee of Arab acceptance of Israel even if he wants to. Only the Arab govern meals can do that. -. % but Syria and Libya arc still centers of hatred and terrorism. Iraq greater military danger to Israel than Ever 1-Jordan trembles Morocco remains aloof and Libya and Iran positively froth with hatred of the jews. Next month prime minister Yitzhak Shamir will be obliged to bring some concessions to Washington they will not bring peace to the Middle East. Nei ther will holding on to the. Entire West Bank forever. But for Israel to give it tip now without any vision or guarantees about the future would be Sitf idiocy. The Road to peace is through direct Israel and her Arab neighbors. It was the Road that led to inc political and spiritual Triumph of Camp David and the treaty. No twisting or lying can change that fact of history. Niks Yam ten i Howard Kleinberg Israel might profit from Colling Rofot s Bluff Miami by now it should be Evi Dent that the it Newal of terrorist attacks across Israel s Borders is an obvious at Trumpl by Radical elements of the pales line liberation organisation and by some outside it to scuttle any possibility of negotiation in the Middle East. Four guerrilla raids last week three from Jordan and one from the egyptian Sinai have been ammunition for those within Israel who oppose negotiation with the Plo. It is questionable that Yasser Arafat s Wing of the Plo would have participated in the raids More Likely he is being set up. Arafat is Riding the Crest of a world wide Public relations glut with nothing to gum and everything to lose by a re sumption of inf rations across Israel a Borders. Not Only is his popularity at stake so is his delicate new relationship with the United Stales As Well As the inroads he has made Wilh some israelis who feel the time for negotiation is at hand even if it is with Long time Nemesis Arafat. Radical elements of Arab and iranian politics and fundamentalism have not accepted Arafat s assent of Israel s right to exist and his Promise not to participate in terrorism. By embarrassing him and resuming forays into Israel they undermine his new position one of inc guerrillas captured last week said he was operating on orders from Arafat s Fatah Wing of the Plo but that could be a further attempt to Dis credit Arafat attacks against Israel from Lebanon have been constant and often by lebanese factions. But infiltrations by Plo elements from Jordan and Egypt have become quite rare. Thai s Why the events of last week Are so intriguing. Arafat is a murderous old terrorist who having failed to achieve his goal through intimidation now is approach ing it with a Campaign of positive Public relations. This galls both right Wing israelis who know him for what he is and Don t Trust him and Radical palestinians and their allies who still wish for All israelis to be shoved into the sea. Arafat probably also wishes the same but Realises it cannot be done and has tired of inc Effort. Radical Arab elements and the official israeli position arc the same no negotiation. Arafat s control of All wings of the Plo does not exist he Speaks for relatively few. He was not the inspiration for the Intifada this had an Independent beginning in the villages of the West Bank und the Gaza strip. Instead Arafat adopted the Intifada for inc Plo this is what makes the Arafat israeli standoff so Odd. _ if Israel is to beat Arafat at his own game it would seem shrewd to agree to meet with the Plo Arafat s Plo. This would take immense heat off the israelis As discussions continued it would be obvious that Arafat has Noth ing to Trade his Star would fall the israelis would gel International Points for using. In fact israeli meetings with Arafat probably would Lead to increased activity on Israel s Borders by Radical elements thereby re creating an International understanding and sympathy for a beleaguered nation being attacked Ohall sides while attempting to negotiate peace. What would happen to Arafat if he met with israeli government officials is also something to Antic Ipac past performance indicates that Radical elements of he Plo react murderously to quiescence and the acceptance of Israel,.the Assassin. Nation of Anwar Sadat and the killings of West Bank palestinian officials who worked with the israelis arc testimony to that. ,i.y/ 5s5. There is a big poker game being played out now in inc Middle East by the arabs by the americans and by the soviets Israel presently has not shown any desire to participate preferring instead to fold her cards. However it might be in her Best inter est to Call someone s Bluff
