Quote:
Originally Posted by Manhattanboy
I have often wondered two things:
1. Was Arafat really ever honest/sincere about permanent peace with Israel? Was he really willing to accept a two state solution?
2. Where would the region be today if Yitzhak Rabin had not been assassinated? I do believe the old IDF general Rabin and Shimon Peres really did want peace and were willing to live side by side with an independent Palestine. I recall they had grand plans for a free trade zone between Israel and Palestine that included the construction of an elevated freeway across the Negev Desert that would connect the West Bank and Gaza.
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On #2 - I think we would be closer to peace if not for Rabin's Assassination. It's interesting that all Israel's peace deals were signed by so-called Hawks - Begin, Rabin, Netanyahu. Rabin would have been able to control Sharon and prevent him for ascending the Temple Mount and giving Arafat a reason to start the second intifada.
On #1 - I think Arafat was never interested in peace. Ending the conflict would have ended his reason d'etre. I always recall an event where I heard Bill Clinton speak. He felt after all the back and forth that he had a deal, he told Arafat it was a great deal. Arafat left negotiations without so much as a no thank you or good-bye. He blames Arafat for the Camp David failure.
Maybe Arafat knew that if he ever agreed to any deal he would suffer the same fate as Sadat & Rabin. hard to make a deal with a target on your back.