Philosophy
Today's question is whether the Palestinian Authority can negotiate peace with Israel. I'm not asking whether it is likely to happen when Abbas sits down with Netanyahu, I'm asking a more basic question -- are they the ones who should be sitting down? What is being negotiated and who has the right to do it?
If they are negotiating peace, then it seems like the people who should be at the table are the combatants. The Palestinian Authority is not at war with Israel, Hamas is. So, why negotiate with the PA? Making peace wihtout addressing the combatants would be like apologizing to Hanno because I hit Kerry in the nose.
On the other hand, if they are negotiating and end to the occupation and establishing borders for a new Palestinian nation, it would seem that you would need to sit down with the closest thing to a provisional government. The PA is that, sort of, although they lost the election in Gaza to Hamas. Having Hamas at the table would in one way make any agreement that emerged more legitimate, but it would also practically guarantee that no agreement would emerge. You would be buying legitimacy at the price of sabotaging the process.
On the third hand, if what is being negotiated is something that will come back to the people for ratification in a referendum of some sort, then it wouldn't matter who did the negotiating since they really are not being given the power to speak for the people.
Should the PA be considered the voice for "the Palestinians"? What exactly are they negotiating? Or is there an exactly here?
- What Does "peace On Earth" Mean?
I drive past a lot of places this time of year that have banners or signs that say "Peace on Earth/Good will to men." A lot of them are not places I would generally think of as being pro-peace as I conceive of peace. So, it makes me wonder what they mean...
- Gaza And The Rationality Of The Weak
Watching the horrible scenes of death in Gaza, it brings to mind something I wrote a while back that I'll discuss again here. There is no doubt that the sixteen civilian deaths are part of the reason for the disproportionate attack, so, too, is the...
- To On Ko
I love Countdown with Keith Olberman. He was the only media voice with the courage to speak truth to power when all others were giving us no truth, just cower. Usually, he's very good in terms of pointing out reasoning errors and inconsistencies in...
- Iran, Israel, And Apocalyptic Questions
Guest post from Confused, Maybe Not: Yossi Klein Halevi and Michael B Oren recently wrote an article for the New Republic, ?Israel?s worst nightmare. Contra Iran.? Basically, the two Israeli senior fellows from the Shalem center in Jerusalem explain the...
- A Pawn Of Palestinian Colleagues?--s. Hawking Withdraws Participation
"Stephen Hawking joins academic boycott of Israel" Physicist pulls out of conference hosted by president Shimon Peres in protest at treatment of Palestinians by Harriet Sherwood and Matthew Kalman May 7th, 2013 The Guardian Professor...
Philosophy
Can the Palestinian Authority Negotiate Peace With Israel?
Today's question is whether the Palestinian Authority can negotiate peace with Israel. I'm not asking whether it is likely to happen when Abbas sits down with Netanyahu, I'm asking a more basic question -- are they the ones who should be sitting down? What is being negotiated and who has the right to do it?
If they are negotiating peace, then it seems like the people who should be at the table are the combatants. The Palestinian Authority is not at war with Israel, Hamas is. So, why negotiate with the PA? Making peace wihtout addressing the combatants would be like apologizing to Hanno because I hit Kerry in the nose.
On the other hand, if they are negotiating and end to the occupation and establishing borders for a new Palestinian nation, it would seem that you would need to sit down with the closest thing to a provisional government. The PA is that, sort of, although they lost the election in Gaza to Hamas. Having Hamas at the table would in one way make any agreement that emerged more legitimate, but it would also practically guarantee that no agreement would emerge. You would be buying legitimacy at the price of sabotaging the process.
On the third hand, if what is being negotiated is something that will come back to the people for ratification in a referendum of some sort, then it wouldn't matter who did the negotiating since they really are not being given the power to speak for the people.
Should the PA be considered the voice for "the Palestinians"? What exactly are they negotiating? Or is there an exactly here?
- What Does "peace On Earth" Mean?
I drive past a lot of places this time of year that have banners or signs that say "Peace on Earth/Good will to men." A lot of them are not places I would generally think of as being pro-peace as I conceive of peace. So, it makes me wonder what they mean...
- Gaza And The Rationality Of The Weak
Watching the horrible scenes of death in Gaza, it brings to mind something I wrote a while back that I'll discuss again here. There is no doubt that the sixteen civilian deaths are part of the reason for the disproportionate attack, so, too, is the...
- To On Ko
I love Countdown with Keith Olberman. He was the only media voice with the courage to speak truth to power when all others were giving us no truth, just cower. Usually, he's very good in terms of pointing out reasoning errors and inconsistencies in...
- Iran, Israel, And Apocalyptic Questions
Guest post from Confused, Maybe Not: Yossi Klein Halevi and Michael B Oren recently wrote an article for the New Republic, ?Israel?s worst nightmare. Contra Iran.? Basically, the two Israeli senior fellows from the Shalem center in Jerusalem explain the...
- A Pawn Of Palestinian Colleagues?--s. Hawking Withdraws Participation
"Stephen Hawking joins academic boycott of Israel" Physicist pulls out of conference hosted by president Shimon Peres in protest at treatment of Palestinians by Harriet Sherwood and Matthew Kalman May 7th, 2013 The Guardian Professor...