Dear Editor,
Reference is made to Clement Rohee’s letter titled: “The Guyana Peace Council supports all efforts for a peaceful and lasting resolution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict” (SN Oct 12th). I am also intri-gued about why the peacemakers of the world (Norwegians w/ their Oslo Accords, United Nations, US gov’t with their several Camp David Accords) have all failed to resolve this decades old conflict. Why has this conflict defied a solution? Whatever happened to the two-state solution (so-called Land for Peace)? Why wasn’t it implemented? Some say that the two-state proposal has been shelved – because Hamas rejected it. They say Hamas continued to call for the destruction of Israel.
Hamas has got to renounce “armed struggle” and “terrorist violence” (Hamas’ recent attack is senseless terrorism, it does not qualify as “armed struggle”). Trust in dialogue for a solution. There is a phase for armed struggle, to be followed by a phase for dialogue and peace. Some say the two-state proposal was initially accepted by Israel – but now they may reject it – and “go for the kill”. So sad. Regarding the two-state proposal (if United Nations/USA can get it back on the table), if the two sides still feel they cannot trust each other to keep the peace, the superpowers should station 50,000 troops on the borders to guarantee security and peace. [The US kept thousands of troops in Korea and Germany for 30-years after those wars ended].
Oslo Accords. Several Camp David Accords with Arafat/Rabin presided over by President Clinton. All failed. Blame Arafat for signing on, then returning home and rejecting the agreement. [They say Arafat was too afraid “his people” would kill him – and that’s why he could not make peace. President Anwar Sadat was a brave leader – he signed the peace treaty with Israel. They killed him for it, but the treaty remained the law between the two countries. Arafat and the Palestinians got several good deals; had they accepted them, this matter could have been resolved a long time ago.
You cannot blow away and extinguish the State of Israel – which is what Hamas has vowed to do. For practical and military purposes, Israel and USA are one state. So, Mr. Rohee has invoked Presi-dent Ali’s UN message. Ali has got to go further now – tell Hamas to recognize the State of Israel; renounce “terrorism”; accept the two-state solution.
Sincerely,
Mike Persaud
