Question of the day

Paula R. Stern notes that before the upcoming Middle East peace conference the Syrians have presented "preconditions" and the Palestinians have presented "preconditions". She doesn't think they should have all the fun, so she suggests a list of Israel's preconditions.

5. We demand immediate and full restoration of rights and property of the Jews forced from Arab lands in the early years after Israel was created. Since we know that the number of Jews who fled Arab countries is around the same as the number of Arabs who fled the newly created State of Israel, we are willing to do a cancellation of debt on both sides. We want this in writing - no more rights to return for either side. That means all those Yemenite and Iraqi and Syrian Jews living in Israel will simply have to give up their right to leave the democratic state of Israel, but we are sure we can convince them and so our government is authorized to sign this in advance.

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