I think Gary Rosenblatt mischaracterizes the rightist view on the conflict in his column, “Hawk Or Dove On The Mideast, I Disagree With You” (Dec. 21).
There will always be extremists who call for annexing the West Bank or for pounding the Palestinians into submission. But I believe that the problem from the hawks lies with the more mainstream rightists who do not view the status quo as dangerous to Israel’s future. They would much rather talk about Iran or about Israel’s purported unfair portrayal in the media than about how the IDF’s continued control of the West Bank can lead Israel down the one-state path just as much as annexing it can. They unabashedly contend that continued settlement building will not preclude a state of Palestine — if such a state is even something they really desire. It is this refusal to even recognize the problem that is a significant factor in prolonging this conflict.
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