Israeli academics to Netanyahu: accept Arab Initiative
Alex Mintz, director of the Institute for Policy and Strategy at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, explains that accepting the Arab Initiative “with reservations” is needed, as it “would weaken Hamas and the Iranian axis” while opening regional negotiations.
Toward the end of Operation Protective Edge in the Gaza Strip on Aug. 18, a group of highly regarded academics sent a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. These educators, who come from the discipines of political science and international relations, called on Netanyahu to declare his acceptance of the 2002 Saudi Initiative, subject to reservations in four areas: Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees, the demilitarization of the West Bank and Gaza and territorial swaps.
Their call was based on the realization that the most recent conflict with Hamas highlighted the existence of a moderate bloc in the Middle East, which fears the growing strength of Islamic extremist groups and the arming of Iran. This bloc includes Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States (apart from Qatar), Jordan, the Palestinian Authority and the Arab League.
