The Foreign Service Journal, January 2003

the accomplishments and advances the Israeli people have made in sci- ence, agriculture, and medicine, not to mention the heroism and tactical bril- liance of the Israeli Defense Forces. Arnold, perhaps dreaming that he was a Third World delegate to the 1975 U.N. General Assembly that equated Zionism with racism, writes: “The Israelis want to preserve their national identity and some of them (my emphasis) want this to be a Jewish state.” “Some of them?” Is he serious? Robert Blau FSO U.S. Embassy Lisbon Back in the Fold Some years ago I came to believe that AFSA, with the Journal as a house organ, had become just another union, not particularly engaged in the political and economic currents of the world beyond our national borders. So I dropped out of AFSA. Now I wish to backtrack, at least to the extent of subscribing to the Journal . This at least partial return to the fold follows upon reading the October 2002 issue. The coverage of India and Afghanistan was outstand- ing — approaching the level you might expect in Foreign Affairs , on the occasions when you are nerved up enough to tackle that eminent journal. Terrell Arnold’s coverage of the Palestine problem was, however, the outstanding contribution. That issue is not just the third rail of American politics, but the hot poker of rational analysis. In State, many know where the interests of the United States lie, but outside the building the silence is deafening. For Americans it is always easier and usually more prudent to ignore the proposals of tiresome peo- ple in other countries, such as those French intellectuals. Elmer C. Hulen FSO, retired Potomac, Md. Arab Anti-Semitism Was Terrell Arnold’s article ( FSJ , October) written 20 years ago and recently retrieved from a vault? Arnold manages to hit most of the myths once held dear by eternal Middle East doves, including the now-chastened Israeli peace move- ment: Israeli occupation causes Palestinian terror attacks. Yasser Arafat wants peace, but cannot con- trol “extremists.” Both sides are locked in a “cycle of violence.” Only U.S. pressure can bridge the gap. And so on. Perhaps that worldview was cur- rent when Arnold retired in 1984, but what has happened since? In September 1993, the Israelis agreed to immediate Palestinian self-rule in Gaza and Jericho, limited rule for the Palestinians in the West Bank, and an agreement on self-govern- ment and the election of a Palestinian council. That agreement was based on Arafat’s explicit recog- nition in Oslo of Israel’s right to exist and his renunciation of terror and other acts of violence. In July 2000, under enormous U.S. pressure at Camp David, Israeli Prime Minister Barak offered Arafat far-reaching, unprecedented com- promises on the status of the West Bank and Jerusalem. Arafat rejected the offer and broke off the negotia- tions without offering any proposals of his own. The Palestinian Authority then made a strategic decision to again take up terror as an instrument of official policy. Palestinian terror attacks are not the result of Israeli army incursions or of the “occupation.” The Palestinian Liberation Organization has been launching terrorist attacks against Israel since well before 1967, indeed before there were any occu- pied territories to “liberate.” Despite the Oslo peace process, despite the interim agreements to 8 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 3 L E T T E R S Web access to major advertisers. Go to www.afsa.org. C lick on Marketplace tab on the marquee Bukkehave www.bukkehave.com Charles Smith Corp. Living www.SmithLiving.com Clements International www.clements.com Diplomatic Auto. Sales www.diplosales.com Executive Club Suites www.execlubdc.com Fairfax Retirement Community www.marriottseniorhousing.com Georgetown Suites www.georgetownsuites.com Harry Jannette International www.jannetteintl.com Hirshorn Company, The www.hirshorn.com John Cabot University www.johncabot.edu Laughlin Management www.century21laughlin.com Long & Foster www.simunek.com Oakwood www.oakwood.com Potomac Hospitality Services www.theriverinn.com Remington www.remington-dc.com St Andrew’s-Sewanee School www.standrews.sewanee.edu SDFCU www.sdfcu.org State Plaza www.stateplaza.com WJDManagement www. wjdpm.com For more information regarding AFSA branded products, mission related programs and membership in the American Foreign Sewrvice Association, see: www.afsa.org M A R K E T P L A C E