The Middle East is suffering from mass protests in Lebanon, Iraq and Iran, civil wars in Syria and Yemen, which have no end in sight, and ISIS seems to be using Turkish offenses in Syria as a reprieve to go back to full action – so why is there so much fuss about Jewish settlements in the West Bank? That’s what New York Times columnist and former Jerusalem Post editor-in-chief Bret Stephens asks in his latest opinion piece. They’ve been building some of them for 40 years, what’s with all the strong emotions about a US decision that they may not be illegal?
According to Stephens, no matter what else people might throw at Trump, they are unable to say he has any preconceived notions about Israelis and Palestinians. He argues that the Arab-Israeli conflict predates the 1967 Six Day War and what he described as a Palestinian failure to create a stable society that is able to deliver security for the Israelis.
Instead, he suggested that peace will be achieved when the Palestinians embark on a “Cultural Evolution.” He did admit that Israel might need to wait “decades” until this happens.
He added that while he rejects many of Trump’s foreign policy decisions and that Israel will not be safe in an “America First world,” when it comes to settlements, he believes Trump is right.
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