Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid

Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid, Jimmy Carter, Simon and Schuster, 2006

The author has been very interested, and very involved, in helping to bring about peace between Israel and the Palestinians for many years, dating back to before he became President. This book recounts his experiences, including several recent trips to the region, and includes his assessment of what needs to be done in the future on both sides.

An example of how things have gotten worse over the years is at the Allenby Bridge, the main crossing point from Israel to Jordan. In 1973, there was a flood of people going in both directions. Thousands of Arabs were freely visiting Israel. The checkpoint was more symbolic than actual. In 1983, the flood had slowed to a trickle. Israeli soldiers were everywhere. There were lines of people a hundred yards long, some of whom had been there for days. Any Palestinian produce intended to be sold in Jordan had a tiny chance of getting there before it rotted.

The book also talks about Israeli confiscation of Palestinian land, the holding of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails for long periods of time under "administrative detainment," and the destruction of Palestinian homes, with little or no notice, more often than not, for no reason at all. The separation barrier (or wall) is being built around the West Bank to make it harder for Palestinian militants to launch attacks on Israel. If it was built on the Green Line, the unofficial Israel-Palestinian border (because Israel has never officially delineated its border), there would be some grumbling. Parts of it are built miles inside Palestinian territory, taking more land. The cleared land, the access roads, the trenches, etc, that go along with the wall are always on the Palestinian side, not the Israeli side.

Palestinians do not escape criticism in this book. The killing of Israeli civilians by suicide bombers does nothing to advance the cause of peace; it only leads to more Israeli retaliation. The lack of a unified Palestinian "voice" is no help.

Among the actions needed to advance peace are: Arab recognition of Israel's pre-1967 sovereignty, openly and publicly. All Arab violence toward Israel must end. Israel must also delineate its final border. In recent opinion polls, large majorities of people on both sides are ready and willing to accept a two-state solution. The politicians have not gotten the message.

Another obstacle to a lasting peace is the lack of a real debate here in America, something more than just "Israelis good, Palestinians bad." If there is ever to be such a debate, books like this are much needed, and are very much worth reading.