Violence Should Not Determine Policy

Dershowitz has his own blind spots in spite of usually being very perceptive. The Palestinians are not ready for a state - and it is really doubtful if they ever will be. Obama may have been the worst US president in my lifetime, but his grotesque failings received wide support from various sources opposed to Jewish success and initiative.

Truthfully, the more violence these PUNKS display, the more of a hard line Israel needs to take! The do-gooders need to mind their business and allow Israel to handle things the way they let other nations handle things!

"Peace Process' is the world's worst lie. No such thing exists. As Gladstone famously said, while the Koran has influence among men there can be no peace. You can no more make peace than you can make a silk purse from a sow's ear.

Peace is the absence of warmongers. War is the process of eliminating warmongers.

Alan, go to the world court and sue for strict enforcement of ICCPR, ICERD & CPPCG against Muslims.

Well said again Mr. Dershowitz. The problem of course is who do you negotiate with? That is the million dollar question. Israel has been willing to sit down and discuss peace and been willing to give up lands for peace from the very start of the nation. Each time that there was a flicker of hope for peace the Palestinians put out the hope and continued their usual propaganda of victimhood and hate education of their own people and the world. Who do you try and make peace with? They got Gaza and used it as a platform for sending rockets into Israel and building tunnels into civilian Israel in order to murder Israelis. The Palestinian Authority encourages violence against Israeli civilians and uses Western money to pay those who commit terrorist acts (if they die their families are paid). Assuming they find a leader who has the power to negotiate peace and some kind of two state solution finally takes place-- how long will it be before Iran backs the worst elements of Palestinian society and overthrows the rational leader and invalidates any signed agreements?

Thank you for the great article, Professor. It is a great idea to ignore violence when making political decisions. However, I just want to notice, that in Muslim countries, sanctioned, organized violence is the only allowed way of public self-expression. We always hear about days (months, years) of rage in Palestinian territories, Iran. We have civil (tribal) wars in Syria, Yemen, Libia. But I never saw much of peaceful ways of protesting or other self-expressing in Muslim countries. So, I am a bit skeptical if they are able to change their ways.

This is a pattern that is being duplicated throughout the Muslim world today. The theocratic impact on stagnate and backwards institutions has created a knee jerk reaction to anything modern. Cameras for the Muslims security and their reaction was violence? What were they afraid the monitors would pick u should be asked, its hardly a freedom of religion or privacy issue.
What needs to be center stage is the fact by and large Islam has been weaponized by the participation in a theology that advocates violence. I'm not arguing that Islam has to be an advocation of violence and perverse expressions of "Jihad", I am merely stating the fact that for a large % of the Muslim population it is. To the pint we must ask is Islam a religion at all if peace is supposed to be an objective of religion and not killing or enslaving everyone else. The EU at one time, no longer, held that in order to have the status of a religion the belief had to be tolerant of ridicule and criticism.
I would argue that the Imams who would restrict prayer at the Kotel, demand that Jewish and Christians submit to Islam in matters of our faiths has an agenda that comes directly to bear on "Intifadas" disguised as popular uprisings when in fact they have become the expression of a faith so intolerant of others that any sense of encroachment is of greater importance than opening a tunnel so that Palestinian merchants may prosper.
The Palestinian thuggery is guided by one principle and one principle alone the annihilation of Israel and the Jews. And it is incited by Muslims who have been made to believe thuggery s the purpose of Islam.

It is very naive to keep thinking that there will be peace in the Middle East. Trump has set the stage for a major paradigm shift. But he needs to go further. He needs to renegotiate the aid package to the PLO. The aid package needs to be disallowed or severely cut back. This aid package has not done much to help the common people because it is mostly used to buy ARMS which are then used by Hamas, Hezbollah, and any other Terrorists factions against the West and/or their own people. Historically this Policy of Appeasement has been a major failure.

Regarding the so-called peace process, I wouldn't entirely dismiss it. However, given the amount time and effort already spent on such an undertaking and the lack of Arab response to the concept, one has to wonder if it will ever actually be discussed. I personally don't think there's any hope that it will take place anytime soon. There would have to be an enormous change of heart on the part of the Arabs for discussions to even begin. They have no desire to make peace with Israel and their actual goal is to remove all Jews from the country and establish another hateful Arab state. There will be no change in the Arab sector until or unless they acknowledge Israel is here to stay and they decide to accept the its presence.

Amazing, Dershowitz is still advocating for the two-state delusion. The "two-state solution" has failed disastrously for decades! It has failed not only in providing peace it has encouraged and increased the Palestinians commitment to terrorism and war. Also Dershowitz slyly tries to equate the settlers generally passive resistance to having their homes UNJUSTLY destroyed in support of the two-state delusion to Palestinian individuals and terrorist organizations rioting, committing terrorist attacks and engaging in warfare to destroy Israel and murder Jews. The left is trying to keep Trump and more importantly Israel trapped in the two-state delusion. Time for the one state solution - ONE JEWISH STATE - free, independent, united, and strong in the face of its enemies both foreign and domestic with one Jewish capital the whole and united city of Jerusalem. The growth and expansion of the settlements strengthen Israel and weakens the PA, HAMAS, Hizballah, etc which is why they are so strongly against it.

It would be much cheaper to give Palestinians stipends to move elsewhere (and pay 3rd countries to take them) than to pay for so many military expenses in dealing with them. Those who want to stay and promise allegiance to Israel could be allowed to become citizens, provided they have no criminal record or evidence of being antisemitic. The ones who will vehemently resist relocation are probably the same ones with a history of arrests by Israel or who have published incendiary materials--all valid grounds for being relocated. I don't see how there can be peace with so many hostile Palestinians so close to Israel.

With this scholarly theory no one ever prevails not even ...peace. To get peace one party must prevail not...both!

The original two-state solution in 1917 to return the whole of Israel back to the Jews and give what was to become Jordan to the Arabs resulted in violence by Arab nations. The establishment of the nation Israel in 1948 eventually became just one quarter of the original plan.

Ever since Arab Muslims have wanted nothing less than the complete removal of Israel, aided by the expulsion of refugees from Jordan, Egypt and Syria to become Yasser Arafat's self-proclaimed 'Palestinians'. Arafat's plan continues to work very effectively long after his death.

There can never be a peaceful further two-state solution that divides Israel up again. The 'Palestinians' have never accepted any peace plan however generous. They will continue to use violence to resist anything less than the annihilation of Israel and the Jews.

It is utterly astonishing that the West continues to lap up the lies and propaganda of the 'Palestinians', even when Mahmood Abbas changes history on a regular basis to suit his cause. Even Muslim nations are now seeing through his childish deceptions.

Israel, under Benjamin Netanyahu, must stand firm and resist a peace process that puts forward any further reduction in her territory. President Trump's announcement did not make Jerusalem Israel's capital. It already was, and has been for 3,000 years.

The violent tantrums of the 'Palestinians' are against Trump. If the 'Palestinians' really wanted Jerusalem as their capital – of what nation? – they would have made it so, according to Abbas's history book, long before the Jews restored it to its rightly designation in 1948. But of course, they were not there!

Those of Arab blood have responded to change with violence. The Arab nations have bigger questions at stake: Iran. We cannot ignore the Palestinian response but we should not be compelled by it. Americans in particular seem to be afraid of violence and will do most anything to run from it.

You do not need to respond to violence with military action at first, just take the aid money away, the US and its allies like Saudi Arabia should inform the other big givers of aid like the EU, stop or we will sanction you as supporters of terrorists.
Time to get serious.

We all know Trump spurts out comments without thinking. But his remarks simply demonstrate the problem of Islam in today's world. Each time there is any criticism of Islam or Muslims, their leaders incite violence. In this case, instead of a rational diplomatic response calling for a peaceful political solution, Hamas uses it as an excuse to throw oil onto the fire proving its real intention is never to recognize Israel and keep the Palestinian population under its harsh regime.

I am still waiting for Dershowitz to renounce his membership in the ATP (American Totalitarian Party) of Obama, Schumer, Pelosi and other assorted slime. But more to the point, I find it hard to believe that Dershowitz knows the difference between a compromise settlement and a negotiated settlement. In the former both sides give up things they want to get some kind of agreement. In the former each side must gain something by enlarging the size of the pie, and if one side or the other side is not satisfied there should be no agreement. If there is a compromise agreement one or both sides will be dissatisfied and the compromise will just result in a status quo, meaning more attacks and whining by the Ps. And it is hard to see what would convince Hamas to change their charter to recognize Israel, because that would be going against Islam's call to destroy or enslave Jews. Furthermore getting a state might well result in the end of handouts to Hamas and Fatah which enrich their leaders who toss hate and bones to their followers. So I do not see a negotiated settlement that will work. Does President Trump have a way? He just might, but don't expect him to disclose anything until he is ready to act.

The reasons why violence is tolerated and even expected on the part of the Arab fascist barbarians is that the weak-willed and trembling Jews act as if they do not have a G-d given right to this land, their ancient homeland. And the Gentiles see this as the continuation of the victim-way-of-life which should have ended in 1948. Israel must remind the Gentiles and the Arabs alike, through actions on the ground, that our existence, our boundaries, our way of life, and our religion itself, are NEVER AGAIN up to compromise, negotiation, or the pernicious whim of those who hate us. We must be willing to be a separate people apart from those who do not wish us well.

THERE CAN BE NO TWO STATE SOLUTION. In fact, there is no diplomatic solution. Giving land for peace has not worked and never will. This is a war based not on land but on Jew hatred and jihad. I am so sick of the two state two step to avoid this truth. The only solution is for the PA to acknowledge Israel and reality and live in peace under Israeli rule or get the hell out, forcibly if necessary. What good is a Jewish nation if it constantly caves in to Arab demands?

Actually, even though it doesn't look like it, with all the usual rioting, screaming, burning of flags and photos etc., the rioters admire a leader who does what he says he will do. Now they know for sure that there is a real new sheriff in town. Good job Mr. President Trump. Mr. Dershowitz is absolutely right, the world has been caving into their violence for too many years. It's about time someone stood up to them. President Trump is changing the tone, and it's working. Only cowards think he did the wrong thing.

"Honest negotiations" involving PA, Hamas, PLO, seriously? Arafat extorted or greenmailed hundreds of millions of dollars playing that game. Is Abbas somehow different? We American fools still send millions in "aid" to the PA to build schools and hospitals and every year they dig terrorist tunnels and buy arms and bombs with our generous aid to use against Israel. But we "did something".

If you want a good metaphor for the Islamic terrorism that intends to extort submission to Islam, then look no further than the neighborhood Bully and his willing Toadies.

The only thing a Bully understands is a greater force than himself. Only when his victims finally realize that the Bully's "end game" is the total enslavement or death of his victims will those victims stand up and take action.

This is why I have been advocating for several years that America must take the STRATEGIC STEP of declaring Islam - yes the whole ideology - a DEATH CULT and not a RELIGION. Only then can civilized people the world over begin to employ the TACTICAL STEPS necessary to stop and eradicate this cancerous disease that is infecting the world.

Or there is the only other alternative. Bow down to the Bullies. Take that Sharia Sharpie and draw that dashed line around your throat with the words CUT HERE.

We still have a choice - but for not much longer.

There is no "peace process". The Arab leadership isn't interested in peace, they want victory and the end of Israel. And, if they can't have that now, they will settle for the status quo which gives them the same power and money as a state would -- plus the advantage of an "occupation" to resist, to keep their public motivated and provide a focus for their discontent other than on the thieves and terrorists who rule.

As for the violence, it comes at the direction of their leadership, and because they have no respect for the Israelis. The Arab public know that if they step very far out of line with their terrorist masters, they are likely to pay with their lives -- they also know that the Israelis won't use real force against them unless they're in the act of murder, and the worst punishment for anything they do will be some time in an Israeli prison, while the PLO supports their families. To control the violence, Israel would have to start shooting the rioters and rock-throwers, and hanging the murderers and terrorists -- they should, but they won't.

"Palestinian compromises?" Won't ever happen. Palestinians don't want peace. They never have. In a sit down meeting with Arafat, Israel offered all of the concessions the Palestinians demanded. He walked away. Anyone with any understanding of the region knows that peace is not possible. They teach their children in school that Jews are evil, the spawn of pigs and dogs. They are not capable of peace. Israel gives them money and building materials to build homes. They use Israels generosity (stupidity?) to build tunnels into Jewish lands much like the Mexicans do on our southern border. The difference is the Palestinians do it with war and murder as an objective.

Excellent commentary!

I'm very glad to see that Mr. Dershowitz is appreciative of this courageous move by President Trump. So many members of our government, a majority of whom where very supportive of Mr. Obama's numerous anti-Israel actions, have spoken out against this recognition of Israel's right to determine its capital and our new support for this position. Hopefully world leaders will join with the United States, acknowledge Jerusalem as Israel's eternal capital, and further enable discussion towards a just and lasting peace.
M. Vass

By their logic, we should not have gone to war with Germany or Japan because they might have reacted with violence.

With great respect, Mr Dershowitz, whilst I agree totally that Israel, the USA and western democracy in general should wake up and smell the coffee and stop giving in to Arab blackmail by effectively rewarding their violence and threats of violence, I disagree entirely with your position that Israel and the USA should keep repeating the same old same old mistakes of the past regarding the so-called peace process. As Albert Einstein once said, to keep repeating the same act over and over again in the expectation of a different outcome is somewhat irrational.

For too long the west has had its policy determined by the threat of Islamic violence. Sooner or later the Muslim world is going to have to understand that it can't threaten everyone who refuses to do what they want. The western governments for their part are going to have to stop bowing to Islamist rhetoric and let policy be dictated by what is fair, honest and in the best interests of their electorate. After all that is what their electorate voted them into power to do.