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INDEX OF MYTHS 2013

- "The Palestinians have made concessions to advance the peace process; Israel has

remained uncompromising."(October 30)- "Israel is responsible or e!pelling the rabs o Palestine during the #$%& 'ar oIndependence."(October 3)- "Iran is isolated because o the international sanctions regime."(October #0)- "Irans *upreme +eader ,hamenei issued a ata against producing nucleareapons."(October 3)- "Palestinians support the bocott and divestment movement againstIsrael."(*eptember %)- "Israeli P/ en1amin 2etanahu is disinterested in peace ith thePalestinians."(*eptember #)- "hristians are a protected minorit in the /iddle 4ast."(ugust &)- "Israel must ma5e concessions or the peace process to succeed."(ugust #6)- "Palestinian leaders enter peace tal5s ith Israel sharing a common desire ordemocac."(7ul 3#)- "Israel occupies the 'est an5."(7ul %)- "The 8.*. must be involved in an successul peace process beteen Israel and herneighbors."(7ul ##)- "The election o 9assan :ouhani eliminates the Iranian nuclear threat."(7une )- "The 8nited *tates helped Israel deeat the rabs in si! das in 7une #$s chemical eapons pose no threat outside o *ria."(/a )- "2o is a good time to revive the rab peace initiative."(pril 6)- "The Palestinian uthorit is committed to reorming Palestinian societ." (pril#&)

- "Israelis overreact to harmless roc5-throing b Palestinians."(pril 3)- "2on-lethal Palestinian roc5et attac5s have no impact on Israels civilian

population."(/arch #)- "The 4uropean 8nion has no reason to name 9e?bollah a terroristorgani?ation."(/arch #3)- "Israel has created separate bus lines to segregate 7es and Palestinians."(/arch)- "I the Israeli-Palestinian conlict as solved@ the /iddle 4ast ould be a

peace."(Aebruar 0)

- "ttac5ing Iran ill create more instabilit in the /iddle 4ast." (Aebruar #3)- "The Palestinians are no read to ma5e peace ith Israel."(Aebruar )- "Israel has nothing to ear rom a nuclear Iran."(7anuar )- "Israeli settlements are an obstacle to /ideast peace."(7anuar #)

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MYTH:

Israeli settlements are an obstacle to /ideast peace.

AT

Parado!icall@ perhaps the most prevalent mth about the rab-Israeli conlict is theeasiest to disprove both rhetoricall and empiricall. onsider the olloing actsB

Arom #$%$C

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In late 0#@ the mth too5 on absurd proportions olloing the Palestinian decisionto see5 statehood recognition at the 82 Deneral ssembl and Israel>s retaliatorannouncement o the intention to build more homes or 7es in e!isting settlementsand in 7erusalem. s a 'ashington Post editorial noted@ the hsterical internationalreaction to Israel>s moves as Ecounterproductive because it reinorces tomista5en but idel held notionsB that the settlements are the principal obstacle to a

deal and that urther construction ill ma5e a Palestinian state impossible.F&%

The Post added that E/r. 2etanahu>s government@ li5e several beore it@ haslimited building almost entirel to areas that both sides e!pect Israel to anne!through territorial saps in an eventual settlement. Aor e!ample@ the 7erusalemneighborhoods here construction as announced last month ere conceded to

Israel b Palestinian negotiators in 00& Gemphasis in originalH.&6

The biggest uproar@ the Post observed@ as over 2etanahu>s decision to plan orconstruction in a our-mile strip 5non as 4-# that ould connect 7erusalem ith

the suburb o /a>ale dumim. The Palestinians@ and man media outlets includingthe 2e or5 Times@ claimed this pro1ect ould ma5e it impossible to establish acontiguous Palestinian state. The Post correctl reported that Israel ill undoubtedlanne! /a>ale dumim C a cit o %0@000 C in an peace deal so the 4-# pro1ect isessential to ensure that it does not become an island in the middle o a Palestinian

state.&s initial call or a settlement ree?e@ the rhetoric alsoencourages /ahmoud bbas to continue to insist on a ree?e beore negotiating. EI*ecurit ouncil members are reall interested in progress toard Palestinianstatehood@F the Post concluded@ Ethe ill press /r. bbas to stop using settlements

as an e!cuse or intransigence C and cool their on overheated rhetoric.F&

4ven though settlements have not impeded peace@ man Israelis still have concerns

about the e!pansion o settlements. *ome consider them provocative@ others orrthat the settlers are particularl vulnerable@ and note the have been targets orepeated Palestinian terrorist attac5s. To deend them@ large numbers o soldiers aredeploed ho ould otherise be training and preparing or a possible utureconlict ith an rab arm. *ome Israelis also ob1ect to the amount o mone thatgoes to communities beond the Dreen +ine@ and special subsidies that have been

provided to ma5e housing there more aordable. *till others eel the settlers areproviding a irst line o deense and developing land that rightull belongs to Israel.

The disposition o settlements is a matter or the inal status negotiations. The

Juestion o here the inal border ill be beteen Israel and a Palestinian entitill li5el be inluenced b the distribution o these 7eish tons in 7udea and*amaria (the border ith Da?a as unoiciall deined olloing Israel>sithdraal). Israel ants to incorporate as man settlers as possible ithin its

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borders hile the Palestinians ant to e!pel all 7es rom the territor the control.

I Israel ithdras toard the #$%$ armistice line unilaterall@ or as part o apolitical settlement including land saps (i.e.@ in e!change or more territor in the'est an5@ Israel ould cede land in the 2egev or elsehere to the Palestinians)man settlers ill ace one or more optionsB remain in the territories (thedisengagement rom Da?a suggests this ma not be possible)@ e!pulsion rom their

homes@ or voluntar resettlement in Israel (ith inancial compensation).

The impediment to peace is not the e!istence o 7eish communities in the disputedterritories; it is the Palestinians> unillingness to accept a state ne!t to Israel insteado one replacing Israel.

MYTH:

Israel has nothing to ear rom a nuclear Iran.

AT

7eshave learned rom painul histor that hen someone threatens to 5ill them@the should ta5e it seriousl. Thereore@ no one should be surprised at the alarme!pressed b Israelater hearing Iranian President/ahmoudhmadine1adproclaim@ "This origin o corruption GIsraelH ill soon be iped o the4arths aceK" and atollah li ,hamenei@ Irans *upreme +eader@ declaring@"Israelis a cancerous tumor. *o hat do ou do ith a cancerous tumorL 'hat can

be done to treat a tumor other than removing itL"*ome argue Iranould never launch a nuclear attac5against Israelbecause no/uslim leader ould ris5 an Israeli counterstri5e that might destro them. Thistheor doesnt hold up@ hoever@ i the Iranian leadersbelieve there ill bedestruction ana at the end o time. 'hat matters@ /iddle 4aste!pert ernard+eisobserved@ is that inidels go to hell and believers go to heaven. +eisJuotesa passage rom atollah ,homeini@ cited in an ##th grade Iranian schoolboo5@ "Iam decisivel announcing to the hole orldthat i the orld-devourers Gthe inidel

poersH ish to stand against our religion@ e ill stand against the hole

orldand ill not cease until the annihilation o all o them. 4ither e all becomeree@ or e ill go to the greater reedom@ hich is martrdom. 4ither e sha5e oneanothers hands in 1o at the victor o Islamin the orld@ or all o us ill turn to

eternal lie and martrdom. In both cases@ victor and success are ours."&&

Iranian President /ahmoud hmadine1ad@ believes the most important tas5 o theIranian :evolution as to prepare the a or the return o the Telth Imam@ hodisappeared in &%@ thus bringing an end to /uhammads lineage.*hiitesbelieve thisimam@ the /ahdi or "divinel guided one@" ill return in an apocalptic battle in

hich the orces o righteousness ill deeat the orces o evil and bring about ane era in hich *hia Islamultimatel becomes the dominant religion throughoutthe orld. The *hiites have been aiting patientl or the Telth Imamor morethan a thousand ears@ but hmadine1adma believe he can no hasten the return

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through a nuclear ar. It is this apocalptic orld vie@ +eisnotes@ thatdistinguishes Iranrom other governments ith nuclear eapons.

There are those ho thin5 that Iran ould never use such eapons against Israelbecause innocent /uslims ould be 5illed as ell; hoever@ atollah li 5bar9ashemi-:asan1ani@ hmadine1ads predecessor@ e!plicitl said he asntconcerned about allout rom an attac5 on Israel. "I a da comes hen the orld

o Islamis dul eJuipped ith the arms Israel has in its possession@" he said@ "thestrateg o colonialism ould ace a stalemate because application o an atomic

bomb ould not leave anthing in Israelbut the same thing ould 1ust producedamages inthe /uslim orld." s one Iranian commentator noted@ :asan1aniapparentl asnt concerned that the destruction o the 7eish *tateould also

result in the mass murder o Palestiniansas ell.&$

Iran ill not have to use nuclear eapons to inluence events in the region. possessing a nuclear capabilit@ theIranianscan deter Israelor an other nation romattac5ing Iranor its allies. 'hen 9e?bollahattac5ed Israel in 00

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o chaos@ and most important@ Iran nearing the abilit to build a nuclear eapon.

The timing also as dubious because o the public pronouncements o thePalestinians. 7ust a e months ago at the8nited 2ations@ /ahmoud bbasgave avitriolic speech accusing Israelo Eone o the most dreadul campaigns o ethniccleansing and dispossession in modern histor;F o unprovo5ed EaggressionFin Da?a; and o Ean apartheid sstem o colonial occupation@ hich institutionali?es

the plague o racism.F$#re these the ords o a leader interested in peaceL

*imilarl@ in =ecember 0#@ 9amasleader ,haled /ashaalused his irst visitto Da?ato declareB EArom the sea to the river@ rom north to south@ e ill not giveup an part o Palestine N it is our countr@ our right and our homeland.F 9e added

that Palestinians are Eall united in the a o resistance.F$

The situation is even orse given that bbas ants to reconcile ith 9amas@ hichhas repeatedl stated it ill not accept a Palestinian state alongside Israel@ and thePalestinian public opinion supports 9amas. In a =ecember 0# poll@ or e!ample@

%# o the Palestinians thin5 that armed attac5s on arm and settlers canorce Israelto ithdra rom the territories; hile % thin5 peaceul non-violentresistance can orce Israelis to ithdra and 30 thin5 that negotiations ith Israel

can bring it to ithdra.$3

'hen Palestinians ere as5ed@ given the outcome o the ar beteen 9amas andIsrael and the 82 recognition o a Palestinian state@ hose a is the best to end theIsraeli occupation and build a Palestinian stateB 9amas> a or bbas>s a@ a and & bbas> a. contrast@ more than

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the Iranian threatbeore Israelis can be e!pected to ta5e ne ris5s or peace.

MYTH:

ttac5ing Iran ill create more instabilit in the /iddle 4ast.

AT

/ore instabilitLK 9ave the proponents o this idea been olloing the nes or thelast to earsL

4ven in the best o times@ the /iddle 4ast is an unstable region because o ongoingdisputes beteen various rab states. 2o@ an increased level o chaos has spreadacross the region as a result o upheavals in 2orth rica@emenand the PersianDul@ continuing unrest in IraJand ghanistan@ and a blood civil ar in *ria.

mong the possible orst case scenarios@ it is conceivable that a militar stri5e onIran ould cause a bac5lash among peoples in the region angered b an attac5 on a/uslim nation; it ma unite the Iranian people in deense o their countr; or@current rulers o conservative regimes ma come under attac5 or complicit in theattac5.

The conseJuences o a stri5e could@ hoever@ have positive conseJuences or theregion. The Israeli militar stri5es on nuclear acilities in IraJ (#$) and *ria(00)@ or e!ample@ did not provo5e greater instabilit in the /iddle 4astdespitelac5ing an international consensus. oth attac5s eliminated potentiall

destabili?ing nuclear eapons programsand discouraged a nuclear arms race in theregion. rab leaders no are petriied o a nuclear Iranand ill@ at least tacitl@

support measures that ould eliminate Iran>s nuclear threat.$6

'hile the negative scenario envisions the Iranian population ralling around itsleaders in the event o a militar stri5e@ it is also possible that@ hen liberated romthe intimidation o the mullahs@ the Iranian people ill launch a EPersian *pringFdemanding reedom and democrac rom their government. Iran>s *upreme+eader atollah ,hameneiis obviousl nervous about this possibilit@ noting in

pril 0# that he believes +iba>s abandonment o its nuclear program in003eventuall hastened the overthro o Maddai.$sabilit to threaten global oil suppliesand ea5en its position ithin OP4@ here ithas advocated stricter Juotas to drive up prices.

successul stri5e on Irancould also help ree to countries that have been under

its thumb or three decades. 'ithout the support o the radical *hiite leaders in Iran@*rian President ashar al-ssad ill lose his principal patron in the region and*ria ill no longer serve as a orard Iranian base or harboring terrorists andinterering in the aairs o +ebanon. The all o Iran>s leadership ould also put an

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end to its support or 9e?bollah in +ebanon@ eectivel tharting the organi?ation>sabilit to terrori?e Israel and control +ebanese aairs.

Aurthermore@ destroing the Iranian nuclear programould eliminate the threat oIranian sponsored nuclear terrorism and prolieration@ and ould signal to the rest othe region that nuclear eapons programs ill not be tolerated. This outcome isespeciall important in light o nuclear agreements signed b more than a do?en

rab countries in response to Iran>s continued nuclear developments.

It is eas or opponents o militar action to construct nightmare scenarios that illscare the public and sa orld leaders aa rom conrontation ith Iran.9oever@ militar planners and statesmen must anal?e the current situationob1ectivel and eigh the ris5 o a negative outcome@ as ell as the danger posed binaction@ against the potential beneits o a proactive stri5e against Iran.

MYTH:I the Israeli-Palestinian conlict as solved@ the /iddle 4ast ould be at peace.

AT

cardinal vie o rabists is that the Israeli-Palestinian conlict is the core oall /iddle 4astproblems. ccording to /iddle 4ast scholar /artin ,ramer@ this "lin5age" theor holds that the Israeli-Palestinian issue@ practicall alone@ promptsthe rise o terrorists@ ea5ens riendl governments@ and ma5es it impossible or

the 8nited *tatesto in rabs and /uslims over to the good cause.$

Though thisdoctrine has been proven erroneous@ President Obama>snominee or *ecretar o=eense@ huc5 9agel@ continues to adhere to this discredited viepoint.

"The core o all challenges in the /iddle 4ast remains the underling rab-Israeliconlict@" 9agel said in 00

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"lmost ever border in that part o the orld@ rom +ibato Pa5istan@rom Tur5eto emen@ is either ill-deined or in dispute@" scholar =aniel Pipesnotes in his boo5 The +ong *hado@ "ut mericans tend to 5no onl aboutIsrael>s border problems and do not reali?e that these it into a pattern that recurs

across the /iddle 4ast."300

I the Israeli-Palestinian problem as solved@ it ould have either minimal or no

impact on the man intra-rab rivalries or the Iranian nuclear threatto the region.*unnis and *hiites ould still be competing or inluence@ as ill secularists andundamentalists@ and a host o other conlicts ould remain unaected b a changein relations beteen Israelis and Palestinians. /oreover@ espousing lin5age mahave a deleterious impact on the /iddle 4ast@ as it could "lead to panic5ed

overreaction henever Israelis and rabs do e!change blos."30#

The achievement o apeace agreementill also have little impact on regionaldisputes. Israel ill still have to remain vigilant to ensure that a Palestinian state

does not become a threat or the irst stage o the polic o liberating "greater"Palestine over time. Peace ith the Palestinians ma be a catalst or regionalpeace@ but it is no guarantee that *riaor +ebanonill change their policiestoard Israel@ especiall i Irancontinues to inluence their behaviorand 9e?bollahremains in poer and committed to Israel>s destruction. Aurthermore@a treat ith the Palestinians ould not satis the Iranians> desire to "ipe Israelo the map."

EOur leaders should have a realistic as o!!osed to a "realist" u#dersta#di#$ o% theroot causes o% Middle East stri%e& Ho' ca# the( !rotect us %ro) threats i% the( do#*t

u#dersta#d the causes o% these threats+ Decades o% dictatorshi!, -#ot the .ra/Israelico#%lict, /rou$ht the Middle East to its curre#t co#ditio#, alo#$ 'ith )iso$(#(, !oor

educatio#, corru!tio#, the !oliticii#$ o% Isla) a#d sectaria# hatred&

e%%re( 4old/er$ 302

MYTH:

Israel has created separate bus lines to segregate 7es and Palestinians.AT

+eave it to the Palestinians to turn an Israeli accommodation to ma5e their livesbetter into a political attac5. The latest e!ample relates to Israel>s decision to createa bus line e!clusivel or Palestinians to e!pedite their travel intoIsraelto or5@hich some Palestinians and their supporters are no claiming to be a polic osegregation.

The need or the ne bus line as created because Israel has signiicantl increasedthe number o or5 permits given to Palestinians and the e!isting bus lines have

become overcroded. ter ears o being prevented rom or5ing in Israelbecause o the Palestinian 'ar(000-006) and the ave o terrorist attac5s@ Israel

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has been graduall easing restrictions on rabs in the 'est an5@ and the number oPalestinians no alloed to or5 inIsraelis at or near the prear levels. 'hileIsrael>s detractors accuse Israel o mistreating Palestinians@ nearl %0@000 no go toor5 each da in Israel. /an others@ parado!icall@ or5 in the 7eish settlementsthat their leaders castigate.

eore establishing the ne lines@ Palestinian or5ers had no direct line rom their

communities to the border crossing. The had a choice o traveling to an Israelisettlement and ta5ing a bus rom there into Israelor using EpirateF driving servicesthat have been transporting Palestinian or5ers b circuitous routes Eat e!orbitant

prices.F Than5s to the ne buses@ the cost o traveling to Tel vivill be reduced

b nearl 6 percent.303

'hile Israel maintains the ne bus lines are a goodill gesture@ critics have called itan e!ample o Israeli racism. In act@ the buses pic5 up Palestinians in rabcommunities and have dierent endpoints than the buses the used to ta5e.

Aurthermore@ no Palestinians are prevented rom using the old buses@ hich mostdisli5ed because the had to travel ith 7eish settlers. The settlers also hadcomplained about hat the vieed as a securit threat rom riding ithPalestinians rom the 'est an5 .

Palestinian or5ers agree ith Israeli oicials that the ne buses ma5e their livesmuch easier. The Times o IsraelreportedB E9undreds o laborers gathered at the4al chec5point beore dan to ta5e advantage o the ne service. Outside o someovercroding rom heavier-than-e!pected demand@ e problems ere reported@

and riders seemed pleased ith the ne arrangement.F305

2ot onl did Israeli oicials discover there eren>t enough buses to meet thedemand@ but Palestinian or5ers reJuested additional buses to run on Aridas so

the ould not have to pa Epirates.F306The attitudes o Palestinian or5ers mightbest be summari?ed b 2aim +itai@ a %0-ear-old emploee at an upholsteractor in ,ar *ava@ Ethe GcriticsH can sa hat the ant@ as long as Im sae on the

bus. I 1ust ant to put bread on the table or m children.307

8nortunatel@ the buses have alread come under attac5. 8n5non assailants setire to to buses on the ne line on /arch 6@ 0#3.308

MYTH:

The 4uropean 8nion has no reason to name 9e?bollah a terrorist organi?ation.

AT

Aor decades@ the 4uropeans have ta5en a Ehead in the sandF approach to recogni?ingthe obvious C that 9e?bollahis a terrorist organi?ation. I 9e?bollah>s terror attac5sere limited to the /iddle 4ast@ 4uropean leaders might have cause to suggest thegroup does not threaten them@ but the truth is that 9e?bollahis engaged in terror on

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an international scale and has also 5illed internationals in +ebanon.

In Aebruar 0#3@ ater an e!haustive investigation@ the ulgarian governmentannounced that it believed 9e?bollahas responsible or a 7ul 0# attac5 in theresort ton o urgas that 5illed ive Israeli touristsand a ulgarian bus driver andin1ured do?ens more. s 8.*. 2ational *ecurit dviser Thomas 4. =onilonobserved@ EThis report is signiicant because a 4uropean 8nion member

state@ ulgaria@ e!plicitl pointed a inger at 9e?bollahand lited the veil on thegroup>s continued terrorist activities. 4urope can no longer ignore the threat that this

group poses to the ontinent and to the orld.F30&

/ost people orget that@ e!cluding the terrible events o $##@ more mericans havebeen 5illedb 9e?bollahthan an other terrorist group. In #$&3@ 9e?bollahbombedthe 8nited *tates 4mbass in eirut@ 5illing s most heinous attac5s occurredthousands o miles rom the /iddle 4ast@ in uenos ires. In#$$@ 9e?bollahdetonated a car bomb outside the Israeli 4mbass@ 5illing $ peopleand in1ured more than 60 others. mong the victims ere Israeli diplomats@

children@ clerg rom a local church and other innocent bstanders. To earslater@ 9e?bollahstruc5 again@bombing the sociaciQn /utual Israelitargentina (/I) 7eish communit center in uenos ires - & people ere5illed and more than #00 people ere in1ured.

'ith the help o Iranand *ria@ 9e?bollahhas terrori?ed +ebanonand essentiallta5en over the countr. urrentl@ at ear o losing the patronage o ashar al-ssadand the *rian arms smuggling routes@ 9e?bollahighters have even 1oined inthe deense o the dictatorial regime.

Diven its indisputable record o terror and the act that 8nited *tates@ Israel@ anada@the 8,@ 4gptand ahrainall consider it a terrorist organi?ation@ it is hard tounderstand the reluctance o the 4uropean communit to do the same. number oe!cuses can be manuactured@ such as the traditional 4uropean ear o doinganthing that might alienate the rabs; the concern that 4uropean nationals servingin the peace5eeping orce in +ebanoncould become targets; the desire not tocomplicate relations ith 9e?bollah>s sponsor@ Iran; the ear o the Arench@ in

particular@ o 1eopardi?ing their historic role in +ebanon; the specious argument thatbecause 9e?bollahhas a Epolitical ing@F it is not a terror organi?ation; or@ the

desire to 5eep channels o communication open.

9e?bollah>s reedom o action ould be severel restricted i the 48 labeled it aterrorist organi?ation; hoever@ this reJuires all member states to agree on the

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designation.

8.*. *ecretar o *tate 7ohn ,errcalled on the 48 to act@ as have more than #00members o the 8.*. ongress. =onilon called on the 4uropeans to respond sitlto ensure no other attac5s occur in 4urope. 9e said the Emust disrupt G9e?bollah>sHoperational netor5s@ stop los o inancial assistance to the group@ crac5 don on9e?bollah-lin5ed criminal enterprises and condemn the organi?ation>s leaders or

their continued pursuit o terrorism.F 30$

Aolloing the ulgarian report on the urgas bombing@ ritish Aoreign *ecretar'illiam 9ague said EIt is important that the 48 respond robustl to an attac5 on4uropean soil.F 9ague promised to discuss ith his 4uropean colleagues Emeasures

e can no ta5e to continue to ma5e our citi?ens saer.F3#0

MYTH:

2on-lethal Palestinian roc5et attac5s have no impact on Israels civilian population.

AT

The ears o roc5et attac5s rom 9amas terroristsin Da?ahave given researchers anopportunit to stud their impact on the Israeli populationthat has come under ire.'hile apologists or 9amashave donplaed the severit o the thousands oroc5ets and mortars that have been ired into Israelbecause o the lo numbero casualties@ the damage caused is ar more serious and idespread than nes

reports at the time o the attac5s suggest.

The latest research inding to document the severit o these terror attac5soundthat omen in *derot had signiicantl more miscarriages than those ho are note!posed to arning sirens and missile barrages. In an article publishedin Pschosomatic /edicine 7ournal o io-ehavioral /edicine@ Tamar 'ainstoc5and Proessor Ilana *hoham-Rardi o en-Durion 8niversits =epartment o4pidemiolog@ suggested the increased number o miscarriages as most li5el

attributable to the stress o living ith the threat o a roc5et attac5.3##

ter eight ears o roc5et attac5s@ health oicials are also reporting that Emanresidents have to be treated or hearing loss@ di??iness@ tinnitus@ andor central

auditor processing disorders.F 3#

2ot surprisingl@ children have been especiall traumati?ed b the an!iet and earprovo5ed b the attac5s. It ta5es months o treatment to recover and a single roc5etattac5 during the therap period can send the hole process bac5 to sJuare one.ccording to a 00& stud conducted b 2atal@ the Israel enter or Rictims oTerror and 'ar@ beteen 6 percent and $% percent o *derot children aged %-#&

e!hibit smptoms o post-traumatic stress@ and & percent o adults and 30 percento children in *derot have post-traumatic stress disorder (PT*=). The distinction

beteen post-traumatic stress smptoms@ such as problems sleeping andconcentrating@ and PT*= itsel@ is that the latter can interere seriousl ith dail

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lie. One o the goals o therapists is to tr to prevent stress disorders beore anroc5et attac5s b teaching adults and children ho to reduce an!iet in a place that

is under ongoing danger.3#3

'hat do these statistics mean or the lives o children living under ireL 9ere are ae e!amplesB

In *derotit is no normal practice to ta5e shoers in under a minute orear that a siren ill sound hile the are ashing up. /usic is seldomplaed as it ma bloc5 out the sound o the red alert@ and even seat beltsare no longer orn in cars because the can restrict a Juic5 e!it. 'henroc5et ire is more constant@ entire amilies ill oten live in bomb shelter

or das on end.3#%

Palestinian terrorismposes not onl a phsical threat to Israelis@ but also apschological one. The ears o attac5s are no ta5ing a toll@ especiall on omenand children.

MYTH:

Israelis overreact to harmless roc5-throing b Palestinians.

AT

O the man E=avid versus DoliathF images that are portraed in the media to

dramati?e the Israeli-Palestinian conlict@ the most common ma be that o thehelpless Palestinian throing roc5s at heavil armed Israeli soldiers. These imagesare poerul but also reJuentl misleading@ ailing to distinguish beteen theaggressor and the victim.

'hile the media is oten dran to roc5-throing riots against I=Atroops (otenstaged b Palestinian instigators)@ man o these incidents occur beond the glare omedia lights and are directed not at soldiers@ but 7eish men@ omen and children@oten innocentl driving along a roada.

The E=avid vs. DoliathF imager is tpicall used to illustrate an underdog battlingagainst a much greater poer@ et those appling this analog to the Palestiniansignore the act that =avid>s roc5actuall 5illed Doliathand mar5ed the beginning othe end to the rule o the Philistinesin iblical Israel. Over the ears@ PalestinianE=avidsF have 5illed man 7es ith their stones - but none o them ereEDoliaths.F

The media tpicall ignores these near-dail terror attac5s against 7es@ orsigniicantl donplas their lethalit. /arch 0#3 cover article in the 2e or5Times> *unda /aga?ine@ or e!ample@ called Palestinian roc5 throers EunarmedF

resisters.3#6hristian *cience /onitor reerred to the tactic as "peaceul palestinianresistance" hile the +os ngeles Times labelled roc5 throers as EPalestinians

ho see nonviolence as their eapon.F3#

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The incidents o /arch #%@ 0#3@ hoever dispel the alse notion that roc5-throingis nonviolent or harmless. That da@ a oman as driving ith her three oungdaughters past the cit o rielhen a group o Palestinians thre roc5s at a truc5coming in the other direction. The truc5 served and collided ith the amil>s car@in1uring the mother and the to older daughters. The oungest@ a three-ear-old

child@ as criticall in1ured@ and doctors are still tring to save her lie.3#+ater thatsame night@ on the same higha@ a #0-month-old bab as in1ured hen roc5s

thron at his parents> car shattered the indshield. 3#&

These are but to e!amples@ but man more can be cited in hich Palestinian roc5throers have murdered@ or attempted to murder@ innocent 7es. Aor e!ampleB

October 0#3B 4ight Israelis and a Palestinian child ere in1ured henPalestinian ouths hurled large roc5s and cement bloc5s at vehicles

traveling near al-Aaar@ south o 9ebron.3#&a

2ovember 0#B Siona ,alla@ ie o Israeli singer It?i5 ,alla@ sustainedserious in1uries as a result o stones hurled at her car b Palestiniansnear eitar Illit.

*eptember 0##B sher Palmer and his #-ear-old son ere 5illed in astone-throing attac5 near,irat rba. To Palestinians rom the nearbvillage o 9alhul admitted to instigating the attac5. 'aal al-ra1a C amember o the Palestinian securit orces -- as convicted o murder in

the case in /arch 0#3.3#$

7une 00#B Aive-month-old ehuda 9aim *hoham>s amil as returningrom visiting relatives in:aananahen a Palestinian thre a roc5 at the

ront indshield that hit and 5illed bab ehuda in the bac5 seat.30

/a 00#B ,ob /andell (#3) and ose Ishran (#%) ere beaten to deathith roc5s hen the ere hi5ing on the outs5irts o Te5oa. Their bodiesere ound in a cave@ covered ith stones. The perpetrators have still not

been ound.3#

October 000B achor 7ean (6%) as 5illed b roc5s thron at his vehicle

hile he as travelling rom 9aiato :ishon +e?ion. The roc5s shatteredthe indshield and struc5 his chest. 9is brother@ ho as driving the car@sped to the hospital but as too late. The perpetrators ere ound to be

rom the nearb rab village 7isar a-Sar5a.3

7anuar #$&3B 4sther Ohana (#) as 5illed b a roc5 thron at her carthat hit her in the head hile driving near the Palestinian village =aharia.

In 0#3 alone@ the I=Ahas alread recorded #@#$6 roc5 throing incidents in

the 'est an5.33

2o one should be ooled into believing stone-throing isharmless or a orm o non-violent protest; roc5s are eapons used b Palestinians toin1ure and 5ill Israeli 7es.

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MYTH:

2o is a good time to revive the rab peace initiative.

AT

8.*. *ecretar o *tate 7ohn ,err has made no secret o his desire to 1umpstart theIsraeli-Palestinian peace process. Press reports have suggested that to do so he ma

attempt to convince the parties in the region to reconsider the so-called rab peaceinitiative.

9oever@ ith all o the necessar parties ocused on regional turmoil and threats -rom the instabilit in 4gpt to the civil ar in *ria to the Iranian nuclear program- this does not seem to be a propitious time to push Israel to ma5e dangerousconcessions to neighbors ho sho no ne interest in peace. In act@ rather thane!panding peace@ the greater ear at the moment is that the Israeli-4gptian peacetreat might unravel.

eond the current atmosphere@ the substance o the rab peace proposal isproblematic.

'hen the plan as originall announced in 00@ Israel said it as prepared tonegotiate ith the rab states but that man o their demands ere simplunacceptable.

It is orth remembering that *audi ron Prince bdullah presented a vision opeace at a time hen the *audis ere under scrutin or their involvement in the$## attac5s and ere desperate to pro1ect themselves globall as peacema5ers not

supporters o terror. bdullah>s plan as subseJuentl revised and adopted bthe rab +eagueas apeace initiativethat oered Israel "normal relations" ine!change or a ithdraal to the pre-#$

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territories in the south o +ebanon" is not onl ingenuous@ but at odds ith the 82conclusionthat Israel has completel ulilled its obligation to ithdra rom+ebanese territor.

The rab initiative also calls or a 1ust solution to the Palestinian reugee problembased on 82 Deneral ssembl :esolution #$%@ a resolution the rab states allvoted against. The rabs interpret the resolution as reJuiring Israel to allo all o

the nearl ive million Palestinians ho claim reugee status to move to Israel. Inact@ the 82 recogni?ed that Israel could not be e!pected to repatriate a hostile

population that might endanger its securit. The solution to the problem@ li5e allprevious reugee problems@ ould reJuire at least some Palestinians to be resettledin rab lands.

Israel has agreed to allo some Palestinian reugees to move to Israel on ahumanitarian basis and as part o amil reuniication. Thousands have alread beenadmitted this a.

The reugee issue as not part o bdullahs original proposal and as added laterunder pressure rom other rab delegations. lso@ it is important to note that:esolution % sas nothing about the Palestinians and the reerence to reugees canalso be applied to the 7es ho led and ere driven rom their homes in rabcountries.

nother change rom bdullahs previousl stated vision as a retreat rom apromise o ull normali?ation o relations ith Israel to an even vaguer pledge o"normal relations."

The rab demand that Israel accept the establishment o a Palestinian *tate in the'est an5 and Da?a ith 4ast 7erusalem as its capital has been part o thenegotiations since Oslo. Israels leaders have accepted the idea o creating aPalestinian state in part o those territories and oered to evacuate as much as $

percent o the 'est an5 in e!change or peace; hoever@ the Palestinians havere1ected all o Israel>s compromises.

It is also orth noting that most o the rab +eague nations have no reason not to beat peace ith Israel no. Israel holds none o their territor and is more than illing

to ma5e peace ith the members o the +eague.I the rab proponents o the plan ere sincere@ the response should be that the are

prepared to sit don ith Israel>s leaders and discuss ho to overcome thedisagreements. ut this has not been the rab response. :ather than accept anIsraeli invitation to come to 7erusalem to negotiate or e!ploit the illingness oIsrael>s leaders to go to an rab capital or tal5s@ the rabs have told Israel it mustaccept the plan or ace the threat o ar.

Peace plans are not orth the paper the are printed on i the proponents continue to

tal5 about ar and pursue policies such as supporting terrorists@ arming radical/uslims@ inciting their populations ith anti-*emiticpropaganda andenorcingbocottsthat promote conlict.

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Progress toard real peace reJuires the rab states to sho b ords and deeds thatthe are committed to inding a ormula or coe!isting ith Israel. The onlultimatum should be that i the irst eorts to reach an understanding do notsucceed@ the ill tr and tr again.

MYTH:The Palestinian uthorit is committed to reorming Palestinian societ.

AT

t the end o /arch 0#3@ Palestinian uthoritPresident /ahmoud bbassignedthe P>s 0#3 iscal ear budget@ hich totals 3.$ billion in spending. =espite

persistent complaints o insuicient unds to meet the P>s obligations@ economicstagnation@ the ailure o rab donors to ma5e good on their aid pledges@ and arecurring debt o more than # billion@ bbas increased the budget b nearl %00

million over 0#.3%

eond the increase in e!penditures and the over-reliance on oreign aid to coverspending@ the 0#3 budget also reveals the priorities o the Palestinian government. hopping & percent is allocated or deense@ more than the sums budgeted or

education (#< percent) and medical services (#0 percent) combined.36 comparison@ Israelallocates #$ o its budget ondeense@ ritain6.&@ Derman3.

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victimi?ation and to be encouraged b their environment to become terrorists.

Perhaps more outrageous than the P budget is the act that it is almost completeldependent on oreign aid rom 'estern donors hose values the Palestinians> re1ect.8.*. ta!paers have contributed more than % billion to subsidi?e people ho areengaged in terrorand have 5illed mericans; ho do not believe in reedom ospeech@ religion@ the press or assembl@ and routinel abuse the rights o omen and

gas. Is there an other government in the orld that so clearl re1ects our valuesand intereres ith our interests that receives this level o inancial aidL I ouansered@ 4gpt@ ou correctl identiied the onl other e!ample.

9o much longer ill 'estern nations be e!pected to inanciall and politicallsupport a Palestinian leaderho drats a budget based on mone he doesn>t have@and devotes nearl a third o its resources to deense rather than meeting the socialneeds o his peopleL 9o much longer ill 'estern nations prop up a leader horeuses tonegotiate ith Israeland has onl dragged the Palestiniansurther donthe road to perpetual conlictL

MYTH:

*ria>s chemical eapons pose no threat outside o *ria.

AT

'hile the orld rightl ocuses on the dangers posed b Iran>s nuclear program@ the

threat rom other radical countries that possess eapons o massdestruction('/=s) C namel@ chemical and biological eapons C has largel beenignored.

side rom those ho monitor the prolieration and storage o these eapons@ mostpeople are li5el unaare that a number o /iddle 4astcountries possess thesedeadl agents. *addam 9usseinas the onl /iddle 4astern leader 5non to haveused chemical eapons- against his on people C until pril 0#3@ henintelligence reports conirmed that ashar ssad>s*rian regime used sarin gas

against rebel orces.33#This nerve agent@ hich intereres ith the unctioning o

glands and muscles in the bod@ is potentiall lethal.

*riahas one o the largest chemical eapons caches in the region. These agents

include sarin@ tabun@ RU and mustard gas.33eond the humanitarian concern orprotecting innocent *rians rom contamination@ international ears are groing thatthese eapons are not ell guarded and could be acJuired and used b rebel orces.4speciall orrisome is the possibilit that radical /uslim elements@ such as rebelsassociated ith al-Maida@ could get their hands on these '/=>s and use themagainst regime orces or as eapons o terror against Israel or other enemies.

ssuming that most@ i not all@ o these eapons remain in the countr@ the ne!tleader o *riaill assume control over them. 8ntil the current civil ar@the ssadregime built up its stoc5piles but never used them; hoever@ there is no

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assurance a uture leader ill resist the temptation to use '/=s against oreign ordomestic enemies.

nother ear is that ssador his Iranian allies ma tr to transer '/=>sto 9e?bollah@ or that 9e?bollah ighters inside *riacould steal them. Israelhas saidthis ould be a threat to its securit and that it ould act to prevent 9e?bollahrom

acJuiring '/=s.333

'estern countries and *ria>s rab neighbors are also concerned about the securito *ria>s non-conventional eapons and their use against innocent people. Inugust 0#@ 8.*. President arac5 Obamasaid the use or movement o chemicaleaponsould be Ea redline or us and that there ould be enormous

conseJuencesV.That ould change m calculations signiicantl.F33%9e reiteratedin pril 0#3 that *ria>s use o chemical eapons ould be Ea game changerF

because it meant more attac5s could be launched against civilians and the

probabilit that the eapons could all into the rong hands ould increase.336

2o that ritish@ Arench@ Matari@ merican and Israeli intelligenceagencies haveconirmed the use o chemical eaponsin *ria@ the orld is aiting to seehether President Obama ill act on his ultimatum. I Obama ails to act atersetting the red line@ it ill send a message to Iranand other enemies o the 8nited

*tatesthat merican threats need not be ta5en seriousl.33s capital.

The Israeli-Palestinian =eclaration o Principles (=oP)signed in #$$3 let open thestatus o 7erusalem. rticle R said onl that 7erusalemis one o the issues to bediscussed in the permanent status negotiations.

9.#(o#e 'ho reli#uishes a si#$le i#ch o% erusale) is #either a# .ra/ #or a

Musli)&

Yasser .ra%at338

/ost Israelis oppose dividing 7erusalem; still@ eorts have been made to ind somecompromise that could satis Palestinian interests. Aor e!ample@ hile the +abor

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Bassad.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Terrorism/hiztoc.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/arabs/syriatoc.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/israel.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Terrorism/hiztoc.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/myths3/MFexclusives.html#_edn333http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/US-Israel/obamatoc.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Terrorism/chemterror.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Terrorism/chemterror.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/myths3/MFexclusives.html#_edn334http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/myths3/MFexclusives.html#_edn335http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Society_&_Culture/inteltoc.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Terrorism/chemterror.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/arabs/syriatoc.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/US-Israel/obamatoc.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/US-Israel/obamatoc.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/arabs/Irantoc.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vjw/usatoc.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vjw/usatoc.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/myths3/MFexclusives.html#_edn336http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Peace/jerutoc.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Peace/dop.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Peace/jerutoc.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Peace/jerutoc.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/myths3/MFexclusives.html#_edn337http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Politics/labor.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Bassad.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Terrorism/hiztoc.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/arabs/syriatoc.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/israel.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Terrorism/hiztoc.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/myths3/MFexclusives.html#_edn333http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/US-Israel/obamatoc.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Terrorism/chemterror.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Terrorism/chemterror.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/myths3/MFexclusives.html#_edn334http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/myths3/MFexclusives.html#_edn335http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Society_&_Culture/inteltoc.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Terrorism/chemterror.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/arabs/syriatoc.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/US-Israel/obamatoc.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/US-Israel/obamatoc.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/arabs/Irantoc.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vjw/usatoc.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vjw/usatoc.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/myths3/MFexclusives.html#_edn336http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Peace/jerutoc.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Peace/dop.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Peace/jerutoc.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Peace/jerutoc.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/myths3/MFexclusives.html#_edn337http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Politics/labor.html

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Partas in poer@ ,nesset /ember ossi eilin reportedl reached a tentativeagreementthat ould allo the Palestinians to claim the cit as their capital ithoutIsrael sacriicing sovereignt over its capital. eilin>s idea as to allo thePalestinians to set up their capital in a 'est an5 suburb o 7erusalemN bu =is.The P subseJuentl constructed a building or its parliament in the cit.

Prime /inister 4hud ara5oered dramatic concessionsthat ould have alloed

the rab neighborhoods o 4ast 7erusalem to become the capital o a Palestinianstate@ and let the Palestinians in control over the /uslim hol places on the Temple/ount. These ideas ere discussed at the 'hite 9ouse *ummitin =ecember 000@

but re1ected basser raat.

In 00&@ Prime /inister 4hud Olmert oered a peace plan that included thepartitioning o 7erusalemon a demographic basis. bbasre1ected the oer.Arom 00$ until the present (/a 0#3)@ bbashas reused to negotiate despiteour ears o ca1oling b President Obama. IsraeliPrime /inisteren1amin

2etanahuhas repeatedl oered to immediatel resume tal5s ithoutpreconditions to no avail. 4ven ater Israelplaced a ten-month moratoriumonsettlement construction in the 'est an5@ bbas reused to sit ith the Israelileaders.

:ather than advance the peace process@ the Palestinians have obstructed it at everturn@ and sought to circumvent direct tal5s b see5ing international support or their

positions. bbass chie negotiator *aeb 4re5atcalled on the rab countries tosuspend the rab peace initiativeand called on the international communit to

isolate Israel.bbas@ meanhile@ said he hoped the Obama dministrationouldorce2etanahuout o oice and declared his illingness to ait ears until that

happened.33;ter reali?ing that Obama ould not orce Israel to capitulate to theirdemands@ hoever@ bbas has loo5ed to the 82 to impose them.

2ot onl has bbasreused to consider an compromise on 7erusalem. /eanhile@he has repeatedl tried to reconcile ith the 9amas terrorists controlling Da?a.9amas has made clear it ill not negotiate or compromise ith Israel and that7erusalem@ li5e the rest o EPalestineF is Islamic land that must be under /uslim

control. "Palestine - all o Palestine - is rom the sea to the river. 'e ont relinJuishone inch o the land o Palestine. The involvement o 9amas at an stage ith theinterim ob1ective o liberation o GonlH Da?a@ the 'est an5@ or 7erusalem@ does not

replace its strategic vie concerning Palestine and the land o Palestine."33as .lNaura to >a%ah& ?e ca##ot $ive u! a si#$le i#ch o% it& There%ore, 'e 'ill

#ot reco$#ie the Israeli e#e)(*s -ri$ht to a si#$le i#ch&

Ha)as @eader Mah)oud Aahar351

9The root o% this co#%lict #ever 'as a =alesti#ia# state, or lacB thereo%& The root o% the

co#%lict is, a#d al'a(s has /ee#, -=alesti#ia# re%usal to reco$#ie the e'ish state& It is #ot a

co#%lict over 1

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MYTH:

n Israeli attac5 on Iran ould endanger 8.*. interests in the /iddle 4ast.

AT

Israelis doing everthing possible to avoid the necessit o launching a sel-deenseoperation to stop Iran>s nuclear program; nevertheless@ it is conceivable that militaraction ma be reJuired i sanctions and negotiationscontinue to ail. *ome@ li5eormer =eense *ecretar :obert Dates@ have arned that an attac5 on Iranill

Ehaunt us or generationsF in the /iddle 4ast.353The truth is that 8.*. interests arealread threatened in the region@ and ill become more tenuous i IranacJuiresa nuclear eapon.

This is not the irst time that 8.*. oicials have eared dire conseJuences as a resulto Israeli stri5es against rab threats. 9oever@ in the to prior e!amples

o Israelattac5ing rab nuclear sitesC IraJin #$ and *riain 00 C the threatsere eliminated ithout an harm to merican interests. In act@ in the ormercase@ Israelensured the8nited *tatesould not ace the possibilit o an IraJinuclear response during the #$$# Dul 'ar.

*ome analsts have arned that Iranill attac5 8.*. targets i Israelactsagainst Iran. This ould be counterproductive since no one e!pects an Israelimilitar stri5e to be as eective as an merican one. I Iranere to retaliate againstthe 8nited *tatesor an Israeli operation it ould onl provo5e merican orces to

respond to protect our interests and e!ponentiall increase the punishment inlictedon Iran.

*ome analsts have arned that Iranill attac5 8.*. targets i Israelactsagainst Iran. This ould be counterproductive since no one e!pects an Israelimilitar stri5e to be as eective as an merican one. I Iranere to retaliate againstthe 8nited *tates or an Israeli operation it ould onl provo5e merican orces torespond to protect our interests and e!ponentiall increase the punishment inlictedon Iran.

This is not to sa that merican interests in the /iddle 4astare not in danger@ butthe threats are unrelated to an action against Iran. :adical Islamists alreadthreaten 8.*. interests in the region and ill continue to do so regardless o ho theIranian nuclear issue is resolved because the are determined to drive merica outo the/iddle 4astand to restore the /uslim empire.

/T9B

The 8nited *tates helped Israel deeat the rabs in si! das in 7une #$

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AT

The 8nited *tatestried toprevent the ar throughnegotiations@ but it couldnot persuade2asseror theother rab states to cease

their belligerent statementsand actions. *till@ right

beore the ar@ President7ohnsonarnedBEIsraelill not be aloneunless it decides to go

alone.F 3%%Then@ henthearbegan@ the *tate=epartment announcedB

EOur position is neutral inthought@ ord and deed.F 3%6

/oreover@ hile the rabs ere alsel accusing the 8nited *tates o airlitingsupplies to Israel@ 7ohnson imposed an arms embargo on the region (Arance@ Israel>sother main arms supplier@ also embargoed arms to Israel).

contrast@ the *oviets ere suppling massive amounts o arms to the rabs.*imultaneousl@ the armies o,uait@ lgeria@ *audi rabiaand IraJere

contributing troops and arms to the 4gptian@ *rian and 7ordanian ronts.3%s nuclear program.360

:ouhani>s comparative restraint@ hoever@ is irrelevant to the nuclear Juestionsince ,hameneiand the :evolutionar Duard control Iran>s nuclear

polic.36# :ouhani has no mandate to modi Iran>s position toard its right toenrich uranium and has given no indication that he has an desire to do so anas.

Aolloing his electoral victor@ :ouhanipledged to continue to saeguard Iran>sEinalienable rightsF to nuclear poer.36

:ouhani>s election gives comort to Iran>s apologists ho no argue he should begiven an opportunit to pla his hand in negotiations. *ome even arguethat sanctionsshould be lited and harsher measures delaed. That@ hoever@ ould

be an irreversible mista5e that ould give Iranmore time to continue to advancetoard the brea5out point here it cannot be prevented rom building a nuclear

bomb. lread@ Iran is closing in on this red lineC in mid-7une@International tomic

4nerg genchie u5ia mano reported that Iranhas made a Estead increasein capacit and productionF o its nuclear program despitepunitive measuresta5en

b the 'est.363

I :ouhaniis illing and able to shit Iran>s polic to compl ith8nited2ationsresolutions@ then he should act accordingl; otherise@ he is

1ust hmadine1adin a more palatable pac5age.

/T9B

The 8nited *tates must be involved in an successul peace process beteen Israel and herneighbors.

AT

+ess than % hours ater President Obama>s second inauguration@ the irst op-edappeared suggesting he prioriti?e pushing Israelinto a peace agreement ith thePalestinians. This notion has become a amiliar rerain rom people rustrated iththe realit that the Palestinians are divided and have demonstrated no interestin negotiating ith Israelsince Obamairst too5 oice.

2o@ *ecretar 7ohn ,erris about to embar5 on his ith trip to the /iddle 4ast inthe last hal-ear ith Israels leaderscontinuing to sa the are prepared to

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negotiate ithout preconditions. /eanhile@ the Palestinians persist in demandingthat Israelma5e concessions (a settlement ree?e and the release o convictedcriminals) and agree to unacceptable terms (e.g.@ recognition o the #$s *ecretar o *tate@ 9enr ,issinger@ had a little moresuccess in his shuttle diplomac@ arranging the disengagement o orcesaterthe #$3 ar@ but he never put orard a peace plan@ and ailed to move the

parties beond the cessation o hostilities to the ormali?ation o peace. #$&B 7imm arter as the model or presidential engagement in the conlict.

9e anted an international conerence at Deneva to produce a comprehensivepeace. 'hile arter spun his heels tring to organi?e a conerence@ 4gptianPresident nar *adatdecided to bpass the mericans and go directl to