Reply #32: Dean's policy statement on Israel-Palestine [View All]

[duvinnie]

This is what he said in his speech to CFR:

"I am truly optimistic about the chances for peace in the Middle East. Our strongest asset is that majorities of both peoples in this conflict actually accept a two-state solution guaranteeing both sides security, sovereignty and dignity.

Most Israelis recognize that they will have to give back occupied land and give up settlements. Most Palestinians understand that there will never be a Palestinian state as long as terrorist attacks continue. Yet the Palestinians have assets that are often misunderstood. They have a high level of education. Palestinian women play a more significant role in government than in almost any other Arab society. And a large number of Palestinians have a significant experience with democracy, having lived in Europe, the United States and, of course, in Israel. Yassir Arafat is not the answer, but Abu Mazen and Salim Fayed, who I met with in Jerusalem, may well be the answer."

IMHO it would be a mistake to characterize his "fence" statement as
reflecting a hard-line stand aimed at slicing up palestinian land.
In light of the above policy statement, I would hope that any fence
he supports would be build in a way that land is returned to the
palestinians. I would not expect Dean to learn/know the nuances of
the I/P conflict in all their gory detail at this point in the campaign.


One edit: link to CFR speech:
http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/PageServer?pagename=policy_speech_foreign_cfr