Daniel Cucher

As the situation in the Middle East escalates, the world calls for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. I venture to explain why negotiation is, at present, impossible.

In order for Israelis and Palestinians to negotiate for peace, both sides must have strong leaders, capable of controlling their respective populations. The leaders must negotiate in good faith and must also have the power to enforce the terms of the solution. If a significant faction of either population refuses to live according to the solution, thereby defying leadership control, there will be no peace.

Palestinian terrorist tactics must not be morally or strategically equated to Israel's military response.

Suicide bombings seek to kill Israelis, simply because they are Israelis, and induce widespread fear within Israel. At the moment, the bombings are justified as a response to the "Israeli occupation." However, the attacks continue regardless of Israeli retaliation. In fact, Israel has been under attack since its founding in 1948.

The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) targets individuals involved in the planning and execution of acts of terror. If these individuals are not stopped, they will continue to kill Israeli civilians. Naturally, in times of war, innocent people die. Israel has demonstrated its humanity by expressing regret for Palestinian civilian casualties. Rarely does the American media report this.

The last 18 months of fighting began after the Camp David Summit, during which the previous Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Barak, offered the Palestinians an unprecedented amount of land, including parts of Jerusalem. The Palestinians rejected this as unsatisfactory and have responded with increasing violence.

Within the Palestinian people, there are factions, some who call for the complete destruction of Israel and others who say they are willing to negotiate but take an uncompromising stance. Yasser Arafat, the leader of the Palestinian Authority, is an example.

There are two possibilities regarding Arafat. Either he has no control over Palestinian terrorist attacks, or, he has control and is therefore responsible for the daily attacks against Israelis.

If Arafat is powerless, then Israel has no reason to negotiate with him. Even if he were to sign a peace agreement, anti-Israeli violence would continue to operate under the impotence of the Palestinian Authority.

If Arafat has control, however, then with each suicide bombing, he demonstrates a violent agenda and no interest in a peaceful coexistence with Israel. In this case, attempting to negotiate with Arafat harms Israel.

Arafat must not be let off the hook as being completely powerless. The Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, an offshoot of Arafat's Fatah faction, has claimed responsibility for several suicide bombings since Sept. 11. It is likely that Arafat either orders such attacks, or, at least, condones them.

Disregarding Israel's safety, many nations, including the United States, have stepped in trying to direct the "peace process." At the recent Arab Summit in Beirut, several Arab nations put forth an uncompromising plan for peace. The plan calls for Israel to withdraw from the West Bank of the Jordan River, the Gaza Strip, the Golan Heights and East Jerusalem, all of which Israel captured from the countries who attacked it in the 1967 Mideast War. In return, all twenty-two Arab states said they would recognize the Jewish state.

Israel cannot abide by this plan because it would leave Israel vulnerable to attack by the hostile countries, which surround, and have previously attacked it. It is absurd for anyone to expect Israel to give back strategic military points, which it captured in the course of defending itself.

Ultimately, no peace plan can solve the problem of poor Palestinian leadership. At present, Palestinians must endure the corrupt and dictatorial rule of Arafat. Through his utter disregard for Israelis and Palestinians alike, Arafat utilizes the Palestinian police force to secure his own rule, and encourages his citizens to continue this violent "uprising." As such, the IDF is forced to respond to the terror Arafat is supposed to be stopping.

Thus, Israel has no one with whom to negotiate. Currently, Israel's intention is to uproot terrorist organizations within its borders, which, unfortunately for the Palestinian people, includes Palestinian leadership.

What is critical at this time is for the Palestinians, and the entire Arab world, to officially recognize Israel and end the destructive anti-Israel campaign. By denying Israeli statehood for the past 54 years and overtly hoping for Israel's destruction, they have denied a fundamental reality of their own condition. Based on the relative strengths of nations, there will be neither peace in the Middle East, nor a Palestinian state, until the Palestinian people have trustworthy and moral leadership, with whom Israel may negotiate.