Editorials

Friday, April 26, 1996

Israelis, Palestinians draw closer
to peace

PALESTINIANS and Israelis, in quick succession, have taken steps that make a reversal of their progress toward peace seem virtually impossible. The Palestine Liberation Organization was created for the purpose of destroying Israel, and that demand was embedded in its charter. As long ago as 1988 the PLO obliquely recognized the existence of the Jewish state, and in 1993 Yasser Arafat signed a peace agreement with the Israelis. But until Wednesday the provisions remained in the PLO charter and were cited frequently as evidence that Arafat couldn't be trusted.

Now the Palestinian parliament in exile has voted overwhelmingly to revoke all sections of the charter calling for Israel's destruction, in what amounted to a vote of confidence in Arafat. This was followed one day later by a vote by the central committee of Israel's ruling Labor Party dropping its opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state.

That vote, approving a new platform that omits the formerly standard clause ruling out a Palestinian state, does not commit the party to support statehood, but it clearly opens the door. Prime Minister Shimon Peres did not specify whether he now accepts statehood, but he declared that the current interim autonomy situation in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip "cannot remain." He called for a permanent settlement and "total elimination of the conflict between us and the Palestinian people," which would probably require a Palestinian state.

These are historic steps. But there are many Palestinians who are not reconciled to the existence of Israel and many Israelis opposed to a Palestinian state. Arafat has to contend with the Muslim fundamentalist group Hamas, which was responsible for the recent rash of terrorist explosions in Israel, as well as extremists within PLO ranks. The Labor Party faces parliamentary elections next month in which its victory is in doubt.

The Israeli opposition is firmly opposed to Palestinian statehood. The assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin by an Israeli opposed to concessions to the Palestinians was not an isolated event. Meanwhile fighting in Lebanon between the Israelis and Hezbollah, the Muslim guerrillas financed by Iran, ended with today's cease-fire announcement.

True peace is not yet at hand. But it is certainly closer, and it would be difficult for even the most determined enemies of the peace process to derail it now.


Other editorials, in brief:

Beach accident suits

COUNTY governments have been favorite targets of attorneys for victims of beach accidents, only because the federal and state governments, and to a degree beachfront hotels, are immune to such lawsuits. Finally the Legislature seems ready to grant counties immunity, but also hold them responsible for posting warning signs on beaches.

The counties should not be let off the hook from their responsibility to warn beachgoers of known dangers.


Belated budget accord

WHAT passes for achievement in Washington: With five months left in fiscal year 1996, our leaders have finally enacted a federal budget for the year. It took two partial shutdowns of government operations and months of squabbling between the Republican-controlled Congress and the White House to reach this point.

Whoever won, it was a Pyrrhic victory in terms of public confidence.





Published by Liberty Newspapers Limited Partnership

Rupert E. Phillips,CEO

John M. Flanagan,Editor & Publisher

David Shapiro,Managing Editor

Diane Yukihiro Chang,Senior Editor & Editorial Page Editor

Frank Bridgewater & Michael Rovner,Assistant Managing Editors

A.A. Smyser,Contributing Editor



Text Site Directory: [News] [Business] [Features] [Sports] [Editorial] [Community] [Info] [Stylebook] [Feedback]