Letter to Washington Post

Dear Ms. Weymouth, When interviewing Israeli Finance Minister and centrist party leader Yair Lapid ["Lally Weymouth interviews Israeli Finance Minister Yair Lapid," June 23, 2013)], you premised a question on an assertion made by you that "nobody in the outside world believes” in the sincerity of Israeli Prime Minister and right-wing party leader Benjamin Netanyahu with respect to his call for a two-state solution. Can you cite a source for that assertion? In a world filled with brutal tyrants (now and in the past), have you ever before asserted to a senior government official that “nobody believes” his leader? And how would you expect Mr. Lapid to respond? Most people are aware that, for the purpose of trying to restart negotiations, Prime Minister Netanyahu was the first Israeli Prime Minister ever to halt settlement growth. Is there anything about this action that would lead you to believe otherwise than corroborating Netanyahu's desire for a two-state solution? In the past, you have echoed the Palestinian narrative that the Jewish settlements are the problem. Jewish settlements make up less than 5% of the West Bank, and there are no settlements in Gaza. Yet the rockets from Gaza continue to hit Israel. How do you reconcile that? I would also like to know why you have not addressed the rhinoceros in the corner – the absence of credible leadership on the Palestinian side with whom Israel can negotiate. The Palestinians have neither agreed on a single government nor acquiesced to rule of law under democratic government. Under these circumstances, what traction would an agreement have? At best, the interview lacks objectivity. I look forward to more accurate and fair portrayals of the conflict in the future. Sincerely, Michael Berenhaus http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/lally-weymouth-interviews-israeli-finance-minister-yair-lapid/2013/06/20/4144efd8-d917-11e2-9df4-895344c13c30_story.html