This assertion, often made reflexively by peace skeptics, does not pass the test of reality. Most Arab governments, if not all of them – and significant majorities of the Arab publics – support a peace agreement with Israel.
Considering the Arab governments individually, Jordan and Egypt have already signed peace agreements with Israel, which they have carefully maintained. Both countries have leveraged their diplomatic relations with Israel to help Israel advance toward peace and stability with the Palestinians and with other Arab neighbors.
The League of Arab States in 2002 adopted a peace plan, popularly known as the Arab Peace Initiative. The plan calls for a diplomatic resolution to the Arab Israeli conflict, in which all the League’s 22 Arab states would commit to full peace and normalization with Israel in exchange for a full Israeli withdrawal to the 1967 borders and an 'agreed upon' solution to the Palestinian refugee problem. This willingness to negotiate over the refugee issue – a sensitive point in the Arab world – shows how far the Arab League has travelled since it adopted a policy of no negotiations with Israel back in 1967. Simply put, this is not your father’s Arab League.
President Bashar Assad of Syria – one of the two Arab states neighboring Israel that have not yet signed peace with it – has for years been calling for direct negotiations without preconditions. Assad says he is committed to peace and normalization in exchange for an Israeli withdrawal from land it captured from Syria in 1967.
At prior times of progress toward Israeli-Palestinian peace some Arab governments established limited diplomatic and trade relations with Israel. For example, following the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993, Morocco, Tunisia, Oman and Qatar established trade relations and limited diplomatic relations. This is a clear indication that Arab governments would be willing to fully accept Israel once the Palestinian problem was resolved, or at least to live in peace with Israel, whether warmly or coolly.
In several countries, Arab public support for peace with Israel leads their own governments. A University of Maryland survey conducted in July 2010 among samplings comprising almost 4,000 Arabs in Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Lebanon, and the United Arab Emirates shows that a large majority - 86 percent - were 'prepared for peace, if Israel is willing to return all 1967 territories.' Only 12 percent said that even if Israel withdrew to the 1967 borders, the Arabs should continue to fight against it.
Furthermore, a plurality of respondents (39 percent) said that ending the Israeli- Palestinian conflict would only be possible through negotiations. Fewer (33 percent) said that a solution will only be possible if it is imposed (either by the U.S. or by the U.N.) and only 16 percent said that it is only possible through war.
Prof. Shibley Telhami of the University of Maryland and the Brookings Institute, who conducted the poll, concluded that the Arab public solidly backs a viable resolution of the Israeli- Palestinian dispute and is seeking closure for the conflict with Israel. 'If there is a plan, you will be shocked to see how many [Arabs] will support it,' he said.
This public support in the Arab world is mirrored in the Palestinian public. A consistent large majority of Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip – between two thirds and three quarters in most polls throughout the past several years – supports a two-state peace deal with Israel on the basis of the 1967 borders.
There is little doubt about the continued ardent support for militants among Palestinians and in the Arab world. And, of course, those who advocate fighting Israel even if, and even after, a Palestinian state is established in the West Bank and Gaza enjoy a solid following among extremists. These radicals often dominate the discourse and attract media attention because they are vociferous and sometimes violent. Their message is particularly appealing when the peace process is stagnant.
But there is good news: The facts show that most Palestinians and Arabs are pragmatists. They know that Israel is here to stay. They are willing to make peace with it. And they want to move on, away from the conflict.
We, who support peace and security for Israel and who are concerned about U.S. interests in the region, have an important role to play in encouraging the moderates. We must show the pragmatists that there is hope for peace with Israel, that their support for reconciliation is not in vain. The more we support Israeli policies that are conducive for peace, the more we strengthen Arab moderates and the safer and stronger we make Israel. The more we support Israeli peace policies, the more we contribute to achieving our own nation’s objective of fighting violent ideologies in the Middle East.
This message is from Americans for Peace Now, America’s leading Jewish organization advocating for Israeli security through peace. It has been financed by a grant from Alan Kligerman." (source)
