The opportunity of the century

In “The Palestinian leadership should not reject Trump’s peace plan” ( January 28), Jason Greenblatt and Bishara Bahbah lay out a path toward reconciliation between Palestinians and Israelis. They urge the Palestinians to look at the plan and make constructive suggestions, to not miss another opportunity to move forward, to make a better future for their people.

So, it is ironic that on the same page, in “The international community should say no to the Trump plan,” Nimrod Goren implores the international community to oppose the plan. Goren offers no new solutions, and falsely notes that the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank made a decision “to conduct their national struggle in the diplomatic arena,” glossing over facts such as that the Palestinian government “pays to slay;” educates its citizens to hate Jews; and empowers its media and religious institutions to incite to violence.

Moreover, the Palestinians have already said no to much more generous offers than those apparently on the table, so what is Goren thinking might be acceptable to them?

It is time for all to actually read the plan – Goren included – and say, “Yes, let’s talk.”

BARRY LYNN Efrat

I have just read “The international community should say no to the Trump plan.” It never fails to amaze me how Jewish Israelis on the Left blind themselves to the truth. It never occurs to them that the “right- wing” political ideology could be correct. Also, how can Nimrod Goren decide whether to accept or reject a plan that has yet to be unveiled?

How is it possible to advance peace when the Palestinian leadership:

• Refuses to negotiate/ compromise

• Refuses to recognize Israel as a Jewish state

• Keeps repeating that all of Israel is occupied territory, that all the land from the river to the sea is Arab land

• Expects to flood the country with millions of so- called refugees

• Encourages terror in the schools, mosques and media and by paying to kill Jews and honoring those who die trying

• And, like Goren, says no to a peace plan yet to be unveiled

Is it any wonder those who do not subscribe to leftist philosophy scratch their heads in utter amazement?

EDMUND JONAH Rishon LeZion

Nimrod Goren ( no relation to this writer), has urged the PA to reject the Trump plan, sight unseen. Somehow, this does not sound like advice given on the basis of the author’s factual knowledge, since at that point no one had yet seen the plan. Rather, Goren points out that the plan “runs counter to previous… agreements and understandings”… [ and] serves a right- wing political ideology.”

Well, well. If Mr. Goren is correct, it means that the present US administration is not going down the same dark, blind alley that its several predecessors

( on both sides of the US political spectrum) have done, and have become hopelessly confounded and lost.

He veritably ridicules world leaders who have had the audacity to say that they “will not judge the plan before we see it.” He further claims, “Israeli public… support for the two- state solution is declining.” Oh, really? He decries the fact that only a few of the electoral lists that are running in the upcoming elections actively support the TSS. We wonder why. Certainly not because of the flimsy reasons he gives. It’s because it is clear that the TSS was and is doomed because the PA has no intention of adopting it or living with it.

I am sure that Mitvim is a fine institution, and that Goren is a superb administrator. Now, if he can just make contact with the real world.

DR. MENACHEM GOREN Petah Tikva

We all owe US President Donald Trump an enormous thank you for caring about our country and region and investing so much effort to move us all from the broken- record go- nowhere stale ideas of the past decades to a new coexistence template that can conceivably be embraced by both sides.

Perhaps the Arabs will finally realize that their all- ornothing stonewalling will not be forever supported and rewarded by the world. They have everything to gain by agreeing to a just solution with compromises on both sides, and much to lose by refusing to even consider the merits of this opportunity.

If their reaction is to be their old fallback of threatening and committing violence, they are likely to continue to be perennial losers.

SID GOLDMAN Rishon Lezion