Trudy Rubin can’t resist blaming both the Palestinians and Israel for the failure of the Oslo Accords [“If not two states, what?” Opinion, March 22].
The blame, however, rests solely with the Palestinians. Immediately after the agreement, Yasser Arafat reassured his Palestinian brethren in Arabic (and not in English) that they were not bound by their commitments.
Subsequently, the Palestinians abrogated every phrase of every line to which they had ascribed. The first of these to be performed was the requirement that historical revisionism, Jew hatred and anti-Israel bashing would no longer be taught in Palestinian schools. This was totally ignored. Conversely, Israelis began a Palestinian tolerance and acceptance lesson in their schools. In short, Israel complied while the Palestinians did not.
The Oslo Accords were a gambit for the Palestinian leadership. Therein belies the wariness required in negotiating with those for whom an agreement is a ploy rather than a commitment.
John May, Bellevue