AJC Responds to Outrageous New York Times Editorial
October 19, 2011 -- New York -- AJC submitted the following letter regarding the editorial, "Gilad Shalit's Release," in today's New York Times. The paper did not publish the letter.
To the Editor:
Only hours after kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit was returned to Israel, you somehow concluded that Prime Minister Netanyahu, not Hamas or Mahmoud Abbas, stands in the way of Israeli-Palestinian peace (editorial, October 19,)
Absolving the Palestinian leadership of any responsibility for the conflict and current situation does not help. In fact, it only encourages continued stalemate.
Palestinian terrorists seized Shalit from Israel in 2006, a year after Israel had left Gaza. Yet, Hamas, objecting to any Palestinian recognition of Israel, saw an opportunity with Shalit, kept in isolation in Gaza for five years.
Without any adjustment in its posture toward Israel, Hamas secured the release of 1,027 Palestinian prisoners, among them notorious terrorists with much blood on their hands. No remorse was expressed. Instead, there were renewed vows to kidnap more soldiers.
Hamas’ role as chief obstacle to peace is clear. But, Abbas also has impeded the process. The Palestinian Authority president walked away from talks with Israel nearly three years ago. He ignored Netanyahu’s unprecedented moratorium on settlement building. He did an end-run around peace talks with a unilateral gambit at the UN.
Netanyahu, as his predecessors, has reached out to the Palestinians to negotiate an end to the conflict. And he has counseled the Israeli people to prepare for a day when a Palestinian state will exist in peace alongside Israel. The missing partners, it should be abundantly clear, are the Palestinian leaders.
Sincerely,
Robert Elman
President
American Jewish Committee
New York, NY
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