“If the world decides to realize the Palestinians’ right to self-determination without their renouncing their demand for the refugees’ return, they will never concede the right of return. Three million Palestinian refugees will make peace impossible. If the world concedes Ma’aleh Adumim, Gilo and French Hill to the Palestinians, they will never compromise on Ma’aleh Adumim, Gilo and French Hill. Six hundred thousand settlers standing in peace’s way will assure that there will never be peace. September 2011 will be remembered as the month that peace was lost.

The ramifications are hard to swallow; the current battle is not over peace now, it’s simply over leaving a path open for peace in the future. At the same time, the battle is against Israel’s total delegitimization, against sliding downhill toward war, against creating such a feeling of despair that Israelis and Palestinians will end up at each other’s throats.

Under such grave circumstances, all sane people must band together. Netanyahu must move things forward by adopting the principle of 1967. Kadima must give Netanyahu a break by adopting a positive attitude – one that is practical, not spiteful.”

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