Take Charge | Bolton Street Synagogue

Teaser:

Two months ago, in a Chaverim article, I opined that Netanyahu and Abbas could seize the day by meeting and initiating a process toward peace. I am sure that there may have been some impetus toward this but the events in Israel may have placed a damper on the process. One might imagine that the unrest in Arab world may have spurred on the Hamas, or perhaps Iranian influenced terrorists to begin shelling Israel again from Gaza. Momentarily, if at all, time was on the side of a peace initiative. I am afraid that it can now be safely argued that the terrorists, who are fearful that Israel has gone to the back burner, needed to heat up the region yet once again.

It would perhaps be a wonderful thing for Nethanyahu and Abbas to meet despite this event. It would be an even more wonderful thing if President Obama, who has yet to visit Israel, could exercise some sage thought process and make a visit hoping to coax both leaders into a meaningful détente. I suspect that this kind of meeting might mean political suicide for both Netanyahu and Abbas, but the prospect of peace should not slip away.

Would that this could happen. I am not hopeful.

We cannot and dare not second guess the needs of security for Israel, but we could certainly imagine that in a Middle East, ridden with Arab unrest, Israel and the Palestinians could set the stage for a slow but needed return to normality.

So the ball, it would appear to me now sits in Washington. President Obama could take the audacious initiative to travel to Israel for the first time and walk away with a necessary peace.

Your thoughts?
Rabbi Jonathan A. Panitz