we wouldn't have problems in the MEAST . we wouldn't have israel either . the removal of those dictators is bad news for you . like all the dictators rushing now to listen to their people and do democratic changes ..you also need to look one last time (like the german chancelor said ) to your last peace chance . not kidding . you are the source of the MEAST instability from Iran to moritania .

Nothing said here is wrong, but peace with Palestinians was never for the sake of stability in Tunisia, it was for the sake of peace with the Palestinians.

if people from mauritania to pakistan just want to fight against israel i don't see how we ca make peace ; some leaders decide to sign peace treaty with israel but we know now that if the people disagree there is no chance to peace at all si israel must be strong and not give his capacities to defend itself

Care to explain how Israel is responsible for persecution of the Ba'hai, the Kurds and the Zoroastrian people in Iran? What does Israel have to do with Sunni / Shia violence in Iraq? How is Israel responsible for the persecution of the Kabyle in Algeria? Or the squabble between Morocco and the Polisario in Spanish Sahara? The Arabs have no concept of democracy, no history of it and no desire for it. This is no watershed moment or grassroots movement bringing sweeping change to the Arab world. When the dust settles, the people will be worse off than they are now. Just look at what happened in Iran.

To Dave: you have a point. But lets fantasize there was a peace treaty with Arafat at Camp David. Egypt said that would make Israel secure, not Israel's military. Its the same old problem, (for Israel). What exactly do the Arabs, Muslims, Pales, want? Israel's left says, its in Israel's actions. The right contradicts..its about holding on to territory for security, not to trust anything the Arabs say or write. Livni and Olmert and the left of center bvelieve there can be a peace, Jews and Arabs breaking bread together. Okay, can the Koreas unite? Will Turks love Greeks? Can Europe really trust the Germans? Will the Brits think of Germans as kin? Can Japan dismiss its invasion of Korea and China? When your ife is on the line, you dont risk based on a fantasy. Bottom line: the final Jihad is around the corner. Read Michael Oren. You Israeli Jews are exposed, now more than ever. THAT should dictate your actions, not delusional or wishful thinkiing ( Livni/Olmert/Peres/Beilin). If Egypt abrogates the treaty..and Jordan joins in, then what? Your only solution....dont give up your nukes. They may come in handy. Bombing the Aswan Dam is just the beginning.

To Dave: (cont): Bibi demanded a full peace with the Arab world as part of a peace with the Pales. He knew that w/o a full (enforceable) peace, words meant nothing. Okay, so Abbas (or Arafat) made peace and Israel withdrew. Let me tell you, no Jew would sleep well at night, with Iran still threatening and (now) Egypts jury out. Turkey, Iran, Egypt, Syria..would they care? Israel's enemy is the entire Muslim world and Muslim immigrants to Europe, the US and Latin America. Can Israel survivie? Yes! But it must stop the internal bickering..unite with Diaspora Jewry and Christians..and increase its fleet of F-16s, nuclear tipped missiles and bombs..and increase its populaton by 5m by 2050.

I don't think the author would disagree with you. His point was that others claim that all the other problems in the region can be solved by peace between Israel and the Arabs and that Israel must use the current events to show how false that belief is.

Dr Gerstenfeld is entirely right in his logic. And the importance of public diplomacy cannot be overstated. Only public diplomacy will give the necessary leadership. Thanks to Wikileaks and the last week's events, several unknowns have been resolved, despite the antagonistic spin being put on them by some western MSM. Obama now has more to lose now by pressuring Israel and less to gain by reducing the pressure on Israel's enemies. Israel should find it a little easier to make its point than has recently been the case.

for a peace that will probably last 10 times less than the peace treaty with Egypt which cost Isreal the Sinai? And what do you think Hamas will use that territory for? If you need a clue think Gaza or South Lebanon

The arab population wants peace with Isreal but the US and its arab dictators dont, the US does not want peace because stability means no mega weapons deals, and the arab dictators fear their people want more democracy..... which means they will be booted out...

It does not matter how much territory do you want to give to the palestinian ,the important thing is to start to colive,look at singapore it has a land area of 560 Sq km, a tiny fraction of Isreal land size ,yet its a power house in Economic,political and social stability,look at their exports numbers for a population of 4 million its staggering,with their passports they can enter over 160 countries with no visa, even the US.. Isreal you need to live with your neigbours, your neigbours will discover that you have a lot of good things to offer as well.....

For everybody in Isreal, peace is good for you too,dont you worry that someday may be sooner than what you might think you will wake up to a world with no more USA as a superpower,if you dont think that is possible, please go back to history 101 and see how greate powers and civilazations have disapeared throughout history, China is on the way up, its already a mighty Economic and political power, its now devoloping its weapons, give china 20 to 30 years and by then the US will be a big country but broke...... remember china have nuclear power,Veto at the UN,man power,all kinds of industry unmatched ,high tech,skilled poplulation, discipline, patience,plenty of money,unlike the US its not printing money,its eraning money. almost 3 trillion dollars.....and the US deep down knows that china one day will replace it....... just like it happend to france in 1917 and to the UK after WW II........ so Isreal build you future now,the arabs offered you at the arab summit in Beirut 2002 land for full peace.......its an intrest for all of us to go and look for peace.....and grab it.

you need to look at the poverty in Gaza which is lead by Palestinian-Hamas and don't blame it on anyone else, they have the land but they are "lazy and only want to terrorized" other countries!

you have misinterfreted the writer's point, and wish to lead everyone to your wrong analysis and direction, its very obvious, if you don't know it yourself! the author's point is israel should not depend on others( includes the West & USA ) to stand amongst the nations of the world, but rather develop itself to a strong & reliable ally to its allies!

Quote :” After what is happening now in Egypt, Israel can even less afford to take risks for a doubtful ‘peace,’ with the Palestinians.” I agree with Mr. Gerstenfeld completely. I also agree with his second observation that “the instability in the Arab and Muslim World” is NOT caused (or enhanced) by the Pali-Israeli conflict.

David Grunn Airport is also vulnerable, and so is Haifa Airport and DIMONA. Size-wise, do not compare Arab territories with the small apartheid-held holy land. Your ways have always been about threats and US-backed military interventions. The people of the Middle East are finally waking up to cries for freedom and democracy, and as #1 said, there is no place here for religion-based terrorist states. Pluralism is the only way to go. If Zionists will not accept this, they can go back to where they came from!

The West can hardly call for Arab dictators to end the oppression of their populations and at the same time support Israel's oppression of its occupied population. Polishing up the narrative does not change the fact of Western double standards concerning Israel's ongoing occupation desaster and the suffering it has brought upon millions.

The Jews come from Israel. You, on the other hand -- well, that's a different story. Tread really, really, carefully here, Nour. Would you like us to send you back to the Hejaz in Western Arabia? We can, you know. That's where you come from. Just say the word, and you're history. See how EASY that was? Don't test our mettle. You probably won't like the results, oh, interloper in Jewish land. We'll send you back where you come from and you -- especially -- being gay, want to give that a really REALLY big think. Still want to go back where you come from? Really? Sure, why not. I'm sure you'll look great neck deep in dirt, stoned to death. Geez. Anyone ever tell you that you and your people are animals? Meaning no disrespect, of course, to animals. Just the Arab variety. You make me -- and most of the world -- nauseous.

You write :”… Israel's ongoing occupation desaster …" Dear Sir, the Land of Israel, which includes Judea & Samaria (nowadays known as the West Bank), the Golan Heights, and the Gaza Strip is given by YAHWEH (the Supreme Lord) to the Jewish People as their Homeland -- as mentioned by Moses the Lawgiver in around 1250 B.Chr. You say the Land of Israel doesn’t belong to the Jewish People. Moses the Lawgiver says the Land of Israel belongs to the Jewish People. So, it is your words against the words of Moses the Lawgiver. Anyone (be it you or the Arabs or the UN or anyone else) who goes against the words of Moses the Lawgiver can NOT be considered to be a sane person or sane. Anyone who goes against the words of Moses the Lawgiver must be considered to be a lunatic. You may say that the Land of Israel was conquered around 700 A.D. by the Muslim Army -- and thus it belongs to the Muslims now. So, because it was conquered by the Muslim Army -- that’s why the Muslims are to be considered as occupiers of the Land of Israel. So, it is clear who the occupiers of the Land of Israel are -- it is not the Jews. In other words, the Arabs living in the Land of Israel are squatters. So, it is clear who should be kicked out of the Land of Israel -- it is the Arabs/Muslims. Conclusion : Sir, you and people like you, including the United Nations, should adjust your faulty and inaccurate thinking. Unless you (and people like you and the UN) do that, you SHOULD know that you (and people like you and the UN) are going against the order of YAHWEH, the Supreme Lord -- and thus you (and people like you and the UN) are punishable by YAHWEH the Supreme Lord.

when it is exposed, the wise man discards the myth while the fool hangs on even tighter. The lie, which the writer expounds, is that somehow the Jewish zionist experience is so exceptional, that reality no longer applies. That there is no reaction to despicable actions, that the "arabs' are so riven within their own sectarian histories that theywill never really wish for their own liberty, freedom, democracy and the rule of law irrespective of ethnic and religious differences. And that Israel, where such differences are exacerbated and highlighted; where religion and nationalism trump justice and minorities can be freely oppressed and brutalized, will remain immune to the currents of history. What a fool.