Israeli-Palestinian peace requires wholehearted cooperation between leaders

On Oct. 23, a series of terror attacks were launched, culminating in the Nov. 18 attack on a synagogue in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Har Nof. What the attack in Har Nof taught us is that temporary solutions only guarantee peace until citizens lose patience with a static situation. The answer to long-term peace lies in a compromise between the leadership of the two states.

The Nov. 18 attack should be a pressing reminder for both Netanyahu and Abbas that a resolution is more urgent than ever. The series of events was horrific. It was particularly brutal as worshippers were attacked in the early hours of prayer. Four worshippers, the two attackers and a Druze policeman died at the scene. One of the victims, Kalman Levine, was a USC alumnus. Israel retaliated by destroying the homes belonging to the families of the two attackers. Twelve days later, right-winged Jewish extremists burned down an Arab-Jewish bilingual school in Jerusalem. Slogans reading, “There’s no coexisting with cancer” and “End assimilation” were sprayed on the walls of the school.

Both states reluctantly agreed to peace and both claimed victory in the conflict, which demonstrates the extreme division between Palestinian and Israeli leadership. It was naïve to believe that August’s ceasefire would resolve such longstanding conflict –– after all, it did not address the deeper issues at its heart. Though it solved the immediate issue, the relentless rocket fire that resulted in the deaths of nearly 2,200 Palestinians and 70 Israelis this past summer was not easily forgotten. The philosophy of vindication that both governments utilize makes lasting peace difficult to achieve. Both Israel and Hamas continue to justify retaliation and, as a result, civilians lose their lives. There is no easy solution for a conflict that is as old as the Bible. And yet, if Abbas and Netanyahu were to cease attacking each other’s credibility, they could cooperate on a solution that would prevent further casualties.

Cooperation is no easy task for fundamentally opposing individuals, let alone for a whole population. On the other hand, however, not doing so results in tension accumulating to the point we witnessed this last month. Abbas publically condemned the attack on the Har Nof synagogue in a seemingly positive step towards cooperation, but he should have condemned every attack beginning with the first on Oct. 23. This development came after he sent a letter of condolence to the family of Moataz Hejazi, the man who shot activist Yehuda Glick, and after the Palestinian Authority’s official media outlet claimed Jewish settlers murdered Palestinian bus driver Yussuf al-Ramuni and framed it as a suicide.

His contradictory actions establish a façade for the international community. While he denounces violence Palestinians perpetuate, he’s also simultaneously condemning Israel as being the root of the conflict. Abbas’ words are meaningless if he doesn’t make an effort to be proactive in controlling Hamas, which won’t be satisfied until Israel is no longer in existence, it is Abbas’ job to delegitimize Hamas in the eyes of his citizens and push the majority towards a cooperative two-state solution. He must act as a rational leader and take control of Palestine to work toward a positive future.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu is not been without blame in the escalating tension over recent weeks. He vehemently blames Abbas directly for the attacks and refuses to differentiate Hamas from the Palestinian Authority and continues to approve new settlements. By treating Abbas and the PA as an extension of Hamas he is recklessly conflating two very different representations of Palestine, which discourages Israeli citizens from accepting cooperative efforts. His strategy is detrimental to the long-term peace efforts that the many Israelis and Palestinians both want. His method of blaming the government and fear mongering is detrimental to the respect necessary for cooperation between the two leaders.

If Netanyahu and Abbas continue to hold each other personally responsible for recent violence, peace will only move farther out of reach. Both leaders must work in good faith to make the most immediate goals of the Palestinian people possible. At the same time, Abbas must stop inciting provocative rhetoric and convince Hamas that cooperation with Israel is in the best interest of Palestinian citizens.

The pattern of violence shows increasing brutality that will only continue until comprehensive solutions are reached. This will require nothing short of genuine efforts on the parts of both Israeli and Palestinian leaders.  Without authentic mutual respect between the leadership of both sides, their citizens will not take cooperation seriously.