Mideast Agreement
Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli opposition leader, says that Israelis are unhappy with the way in which the Palestinians are implementing the Gaza-Jericho agreement with Israel (Commentary, May 20). As evidence, he refers to a poll conducted by Israel’s leading daily, Yediot Aharonot. Not surprisingly, he fails to mention another poll that appeared in the same paper on May 22. The survey asked which leader is best suited to lead Israel in the current period; 50% favored Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, while only 38% preferred Netanyahu.
It is not difficult to be frustrated with a complex peace process or with the behavior of Israel’s negotiating partners. It is quite another matter to know how to deal with those frustrations. Rabin insists that both sides honor the agreements. He also understands that the process must move forward, which is why he remains engaged in the negotiations. Netanyahu wants the talks to stop. He would return to the same policies that were advocated for over a decade by his mentor, former Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir, and that were finally rejected by Israeli voters two years ago. Difficult as the road may be, Israelis do not want to reverse the progress they have made.
JONATHAN JACOBY, Exec. Vice Pres.
Israel Policy Forum, New York
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