Hopes in the Middle East

David Abrahams considered Binyamin Netanyahu’s speech in the Begin Sadat Center where he outlined his new vision in the Begin Sadat Center to be momentous. David Abrahams said: "In the fact that for the first time he recognized a Palestinian state". Netanyahu had originally been intractable to embracing this vision. David Abrahams is definite that "This also is a promising start as on the basis of recognizing a Palestinian state in principle, Israel will at the negotiating table be more willing to make compromises necessary for a workable peace solution between Israel and the Palestinians".



David Martin Abrahams thinks "The fact that overwhelming majority of Israel’s public supported Netanyahu’s speech points to the fact that this is a pragmatic and non-ideologically hardened society, eager to make peace with its Palestinian neighbors". Israel’s public can be counted upon to pressure its leadership to make necessary pragmatic concessions to free Israel from the endless conflict that it has been subjected to since its founding.

David Martin Abrahams added that "It is up to the Palestinian leadership to overcome their internal differences, recognize Israel and also overcome previous sticking points such as the right of return for millions of Palestinians along with the status of Jerusalem. David Abrahams stressed that "Both sides will be more amenable to concessions when Israeli and Palestinian civil societies are linked. This would entail the cooperation of cross-societal organizations ranging from trade unions, women’s rights organizations, and student societies". Palestinian civil society that is not co-opted by the Palestinian Authority will in turn thrive and promote a liberal mindset whose populace will be more attracted to economic opportunities than ideological aspirations. In this new atmosphere of hope the Palestinian leadership can turn their attention to bettering the lives of Palestinians and demand that the international community as well as Israel actively foster this environment. This would constitute a sharp contrast to the traditional belligerent dynamics between both sides.