Dan Fleshler is a board member of Ameinu and Peace Now
"Olmert has expressed an interest in negotiating with Syria and the Palestinians under the right circumstances. He should clearly acknowledge that creating those circumstances as soon as possible will not only help Israel: it also might save American lives in Iraq."Too many Israeli and American Jewish leaders have a problem with the L-word, “linkage.” They reflexively denounce any suggestion that progress toward Arab-Israeli peace will help America solve its own problems in the Middle East.
They should change their approach, because what they are doing not only ignores reality; it harms American and Israeli interests.
There is at least a chance that Syrian-Israeli peace talks under American auspices will prompt President Bashar Asad to seal his borders with Iraq and stop insurgents who want to kill Americans from crossing back and forth, and stop making common cause with Iran, which sponsors America’s fanatic Shi’ite enemies. There is at least a chance that jumpstarting Israeli-Palestinian peace talks will be an incentive for Saudi Arabia, Jordan and other states to use their leverage with Iraqi Sunnis to calm things down. Of course, the same coalition would also benefit Israel if it helped to isolate and enforce tough sanctions on Iran. Read more>>