‘First recognize Israel, then negotiate for peace,’ says MEF Israel director
Daniel Seaman, director of Middle East Forum Israel office, spoke Wednesday at the Jerusalem Post Elections Conference. He said the question that interests the citizens of Israel is when there will be peace.
“It is customary to say that peace is made with enemies,” he said. “But peace is made with ex-enemies. It will be possible to sit down for negotiations and turn to diplomacy when the basic assumption is reached that the Palestinians will stop terror, that they will recognize the fact that Israel is a reality– when the Palestinians recognize Israel, other countries will find it difficult to ignore it.”
Seaman said that to achieve this, one must be determined to show the people of Gaza that their future will be better if they recognize Israel.
“The Arab states understand that Israel is part of the Middle East solution and not so much the problem,” Seaman explained. “Israel has become a technological superpower and most countries in the Middle East understand that cooperation with us pays for them.”
He said that once the Palestinians recognize Israel’s existence, then recognition will not be the basis for discussion and the parties will be better poised to examine solutions – two states or any other idea.
“The time has come for the Israelis themselves to understand and internalize a strong Israel that upholds its rights, that wins,” he said. “From there, we can sit down together and bring an end to the conflict and achieve the peace we all desire.”