Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for the Pledge for Peace.

Here are some of the questions received:

• 1) Don't they just lie?
• 2) What about plan ...X... ?
• 3) why don't we just have a loyalty oath for the State?

My answers:

1. Don't they just lie?
1. Many do lie. It is part of their primitive culture. They don't know how things work so they just make up stories and expect others to believe it. But people who do lie often start to believe their own lies. And it is better that this is their lie.
2. The leaders can't lie and still lead their masses to violence. In other areas the leaders can shift the meaning of words. An example of this is when Abbas told US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice that he recognizes Israel and it's ministers. But when he talks to Hamas in Arabic he says that all they have to do is recognize that so and so is the Minister. In law and diplomacy "recognize" carries certain meaning. But Abbas has switched the use of the word to mean visual recognition, as in recognize who is in your gunsights. The words of the pledge, while understandable in the direct meaning, can not be so twisted.
3. The most important goal is that the Israelis and friends can unite around what is "Peace".


2. What about plan ...X... ?
1. Any plan must be based on a strategy and be measured for success upon how well it meets the objectives of that strategy. If plan X is good it can be seen to fulfill the united goal. If plan X can not be shown to advance your strategy, it is deficient and wasteful. Great tactics without a unifying strategy won't help.


3. Why don't we just have a loyalty oath to the State?
1. The state is not an end in itself. It is just an instrument to fulfill our goals. The Oslo process has shown that our enemy can talk about "Peace" with the state while continuing to kill Jews.
2. Any program must be scalable. We need a strategic position that can be agreed to by a citizen of Israel, the residents of Judea, Shomron, and Azzah, and the Presidents, Kings, Queens, leaders and interest groups around the world. Loyalty to Medinat Yisroel will have a limited range and potential conflicts of loyalties for our foreign friends.