Many suggest that Israel's presence in the West Bank… what some people call the "occupation", is the cause of Palestinian hostility towards Israel, and the reason… there is no peace.

But is that really true?

If Israel’s presence    is the cause … of the conflict…  then it follows that there was no conflict… before 1967 -when Israel was not in the West Bank… Right?

Let's look at the facts…

The PLO… the Palestinian Liberation Organization.. was created in 1964 

-when the entire West Bank and Gaza was in Arab hands

Why create the PLO in 1964… when Israel has no presence in the West Bank and Gaza? 

What "Palestine" were they liberating?

The PLO emblem -gives us the answer.   0:01:04.00,0:01:10.000 The PLO was created to remove by force …the entire state of Israel from the map of the Middle East

A goal clearly stated in their Charter.

This goal was not new.

The PLO was continuing a long Arab history of saying “No”

No -to the national self-determination of the Jewish people

No -to recognizing the Jewish ancestral homeland

Let's take a look at the history:

In 1937, the Peel Commission recommended a division of the land… a Jewish state… and -an Arab state.

The Arab portion would include 96% of the territory that the League of Nations had originally designated… for the Jewish Homeland.

This included far more… than just the West Bank

However… instead of accepting the Jews as peace partners… the Palestinian leader Haj Amin Al-Husseini said… "NO" and found a partner… whose vision was closer to his own

In 1947, the United Nations recommended The Partition plan- which again, offered the Arabs far more than just the West Bank.

The Jews said “YES” 0:02:14.000,0:02:18.500 The Arab leaders again said "NO" and launched… a "war of extermination"

Israel won that war, established the state, but did not know a day of peace despite the fact… that its Arab neighbors held the entire West Bank.

The Arabs continued saying "NO!"

They attacked Israel relentlessly….using the West Bank as a launching pad… until… Israel took it over - in a war of self defense- in 1967

After the war… the Arab League rejected all attempts at peace.   0:02:46.500,0:02:50.000 They continued to choose force over negotiation.

And… at a summit in the city of Khartoum - we again heard:  "NO, NO, NO".     

Let's fast-forward to 1993… Israel and the Palestinians sign the Oslo Accords.

Were the Palestinians finally saying "yes"?

IT appeared so… Israel said "YES"… and gave territorial control to a Palestinian government it helped establish…

But despite signing agreements… the Palestinian actions… said “NO”:

During the next five years… Israel saw a significant increase in terrorist attacks… Which killed hundreds of Israelis.

In 1996, Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian leader declares: "...We plan to eliminate the State of Israel and establish a purely Palestinian State".

But Israel didn't give up saying "YES"..

In 2000, Israel's Prime Minister Barak -offers the Palestinians 93% of the West Bank.

Again… the answer is “NO!” …together with increased terror.    

In 2005 Israel withdraws from the Gaza strip,  uprooting 8,500 Israeli citizens…hoping  to advance peace.

The Palestinians?? …Again say "NO".

This time they increase rocket attacks -from Gaza- against Israeli civilians… by over 500%.

In 2008… another Israeli attempt at "YES"

Prime Minister Olmert accepts nearly all Palestinian demands… including handing over almost 100% of the West Bank… with minor land swaps.

The Palestinians?? ...Again say…“NO”.   

So…. what can we conclude?

1. The conflict was not caused by Israel's presence in the West Bank

The real cause of the conflict -until today… is the long-held Arab history of saying "NO":

"No to peace"… "No to the existence of Israel".

Because "NO" is consistent with Palestinian policy… education… and media.

Political and religious leaders continuously promote Israel’s destruction.

2. Israel has said "Yes" for decades…. and has proven that… by signing peace with Jordan and Egypt.  

So……  Where do we go from here?

How do we achieve peace?

With some good will… mutual recognition of the right -to self-determination, and… real compromises on both sides.

Israel …for its part… will continue saying "YES" to a real and enduring peace.  

But…for the peace process to succeed; The Palestinians…. will have to give up   their uncompromising choice… of force… over negotiation                                                          

and… of choosing …"NO"  - over "YES"

It is about time.