Summary: May 24, 2011 – New York – AJC Executive Director David Harris, in his national radio commentary, says that Israel is ready for peace, but the Palestinians are not. “Israel has said yes. Yes to direct talks. Yes to two states for two peoples. Yes to peace,” says Harris. “But the Palestinians have gone in the opposite direction. They’ve brought in Hamas.” The AJC weekly radio messages are broadcast on the CBS radio network, before The Osgood File. All AJC radio commentaries since 2001 are available at www.ajc.org/radiocommentary. LISTEN. The full text of this week’s commentary follows: Peace. Can there be any greater goal? Israel has sought peace from day one. But its Arab neighbors had other ideas. They wouldn’t accept the Jewish state. It didn’t matter that the Jews had always been connected to the land – or that the UN recommended the Jewish state. So democratic Israel had to defend itself – time and again. Eventually and happily, peace came with Egypt and Jordan. But not with the Palestinians. Successive Israeli leaders offered a two-state deal. All were rebuffed. Now, again, there’s talk about how to get a deal. Israel has said yes. Yes to direct talks. Yes to two states for two peoples. Yes to peace. But the Palestinians have gone in the opposite direction. They’ve brought in Hamas. Go online and read the Hamas Charter for yourself. You’ll see its true nature as a genocidal terrorist group. Let the Palestinians decide – Hamas or peace. Let’s hope they make the right decision. For the sake of peace. Visit ajc.org. This is David Harris of AJC
