Regarding the March 20 editorial “Netanyahu and his state of denial”:
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The visit of British Foreign Minister Robin Cook last week to the construction site Har Homa in the southern section of Jerusalem caused an uproar in Israel that crossed party lines. Ehud Barak, leader of the Labor Party, has stood in support of the prime minister in denouncing Mr. Cook’s actions.
There is nothing that unites the people of Israel like the issue of Jerusalem. The visit of Cook, preceded by his remarks that he considers Har Homa to be Palestinian territory and that his visit there emphasizes it, has only succeeded in fanning the flames of resentment by Israelis of different political persuasions.
A visit to such a sensitive site, accompanied by such provocative actions and statements, as well as the dismissal of Government Secretary Danny Naveh’s attempted briefing, was counterproductive. Or in the words of Eytan Bentsur, director general of Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “We are not in need of the mediation of the European Union in the Israel-Palestinian conflict. If we had any illusions about this . . . they were dispelled by the catastrophic appearance of the British foreign secretary.”
Israel’s goals have not changed. Israel wants peace and a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Any outside pressure on Israel will be detrimental to the peace process. Israel is ready to make substantial territorial concessions, but none that will put Israel’s security and sovereignty at risk.