Will The Pals. 'Acquiesce'?

At the NYTimes website, in the IHT section, there's this op-ed suggesting:

Palestinians Should Just Say Yes

Charles A. Kupchan, the author, professor of international relations at Georgetown University and senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, writes:-

Since Israel holds virtually all the cards — the land, the tanks, the wealth, the water — the Palestinians should make that bold move by taking what they can get, not what they want...To the end of securing its main objective — statehood — the Palestinian Authority should acquiesce to major Jewish settlements in the West Bank in a swap for territory in Israel...

There are other elements, some more fantasy-like than the other, but someone is beginning to pressure the Pals. As Kupchan puts it:

Although it may seem like an act of folly for the Palestinian Authority to accept Israel's terms as its opening move, Palestinian leaders have little choice: They can opt for statehood on these terms — or no state at all.

His thinking, a bit like a drunken-driver, weaving about, is illustrated here:

By reinforcing moderates within Israel, the Palestinian Authority would likely improve the terms of a final settlement. With Netanyahu still talking about an undivided Jerusalem, a stronger Israeli center will be needed to ensure solid support for making East Jerusalem the capital of a Palestinian state. And although the large Jewish settlements near Jerusalem, such as Maale Adumim, are certain to remain part of Israel, more isolated settlements, such as Ariel, may well be in play.

Palestinian acceptance of Israel’s bottom line would also help secure another important piece of the puzzle: steady American pressure on Israel to make a deal.

His problem is that the rest of his peace elements I skipped will make Israelis. well, immoderate.

He even builds off of the Vick Time magazine piece:

Pressure from Washington is needed to deny Israel the complacency that currently accompanies its prosperity;

If he thinks that

Uprooting tens of thousands of Jews from their homes in the West Bank will be painful and divisive.

he doesn't know or grasp the half of it.


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