I've got serious questions about the man's character, but I do like what he has to say on this issue.

In a sweeping repudiation of the conventional wisdom that America's war on terrorism must address Palestinian Arab national grievances, the leading Republican contender for the presidency is warning of the dangers of pressing too soon for Palestinian statehood and is asserting that Israeli security is a "permanent feature of our foreign policy."

"Too much emphasis has been placed on brokering negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians Â-- negotiations that bring up the same issues again and again," Mayor Giuliani writes in an essay published yesterday in Foreign Affairs. "It is not in the interest of the United States, at a time when it is being threatened by Islamist terrorists, to assist the creation of another state that will support terrorism."

In some of the boldest language on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict used thus far by any presidential candidate, Mr. Giuliani writes: "Palestinian statehood will have to be earned through sustained good governance, a clear commitment to fighting terrorism, and a willingness to live in peace with Israel."

That language appears to be a direct shot at President Bush and Secretary of State Rice, who are making just such a push for final status negotiations between President Abbas and Prime Minister Olmert in September, despite Hamas's takeover of Gaza in June.

And Rudy is dead right on this one. The creation of a Terrorstinian state would be fundamentally destabilizing to the region, and undermine the security of the one truly free nation there. Furthermore, any argument over whether or not Israel "should have been" created is a moot point -- the Jewish presence in the region has been increasing for over a century, and after sixty years the Israelis are not going to go anywhere. Any attempt to make them do so would inexorably result in a new Masada.

Am I an uncritical supporter of Israel? No, I am not. but any American policy in the Middle East that undermines Israel is not in America's best interests -- and at a time when we are fighting forces of radicalism that tend to create instability in the Middle East, we should not be creating a new state to serve as a home for such radicalism.

Posted by: Greg at 01:47 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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