Ok, I admit that I don’t have what it takes to fully understand the Middle East!  So, I’m not suggesting that I’ve got all the answers…just a few thoughts I want to share!

There are interesting goings on in the Middle East, though that is nothing new!  After all, Yasser Arafat was once accused of collaborating with Israel when he agreed to join peace talks.  You just never know what to expect!

Recently, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah rebuked Saudi Arabia for “normalizing relations with Israel, and doing so ‘for free.'”  Showing his true colors, he went on to say that Saudi Arabia is “creating contact [with Israel], normalizing relations, acknowledging the existence of Israel – and then cooperating with it,” claiming that “this is free normalization with Israel and this will open the doors to other states than Saudi Arabia to follow suit.”

Now, add to that the fact that many states hostile to Israel insist that the Israeli-Palestinian peace process is the key to peace throughout the Middle East.  They seem to indicate if Israel will just come to peace with the Palestinians (ie – give them land and leave them alone to plan and execute terrorist attacks), then peace will reign in the Middle East.

My question: if one side refuses to acknowledge the existence of the other, do we think that is going to change if Israel caves to the dangerous whims of the Hamas-controlled Palestinians?

While I admit that our western minds have a difficult time understanding Middle Eastern thought, it doesn’t seem difficult to figure out there is something wrong with the logic that says giving in to terrorists will bring peace to the region.

So, why does America continue to press for peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians?  It’s time to stop doing so and allow the parties involved to work toward solutions.  If they need a mediator, we should stand ready to assist.  Otherwise, they don’t need our pressure!