Arab League should enter uncharted territory and
recognise Israel
Khaled Diab
The
Arab League's reaffirmation of the Saudi Peace Plan is a good step in the right
direction, and the Israelis should seize the opportunity it offers. The Arabs can
boost the prospect for peace by recognising Israel now.
April 2007
The Arab League’s latest gesture of peaceful
intent towards Israel sends a clear message that the Arab world wants to strike
peace with Israel. However, it does little to challenge the current deadlock
and inertia plaguing Israel’s conflict with the Palestinians and the wider Arab
world, since it only rehashes what was already on the table.
Although many Arabs argue that Israel, as the occupier of Arab lands and
the more powerful military party, holds most of the cards to resolve the
conflict, there are still certain things the Arabs can do to resolve the
situation. One massive confidence-builder would be to recognise Israel
unilaterally and unconditionally.
Israel, its supporters and apologists accuse
Arabs of wanting to destroy Israel and ‘drive it into the sea’, and use that to
defend everything from the country’s ongoing occupation of Arab land to its
nuclear arsenal. By formally recognising Israel, the Arab League states would be
sending out a clear and potent signal to the outside world that they are
unflinchingly committed to forging peace with Israel.
This would not only put the moral and
diplomatic impetus on Israel to make the next move, it would also overcome the
paranoia and distrust felt towards Arabs within Israeli society. The Arab world
has abandoned two of the three outdate No's agreed following the 1967 ‘naksa’
– the so-called Khartoum Resolution.
Arabs no longer say no to negotiations with
Israel nor to forging a lasting peace with the country – now it’s time to drop
the last ‘no’ and formally recognise the state, instead of living in a state of
diplomatic denial.
ã2007
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