Rudy Giuliani has, in essence, announced a lack of policy regarding Palestine. Rudy has decided to emulate the early Bush policy of ignoring Palestine as a legitimate player in the game of Middle East politics, a policy that failed miserably, aiding the rise of Hamas.

From Salon.com:

Outlining his foreign policy views in the September/October issue of Foreign Affairs magazine, Giuliani said "too much emphasis" has been placed on brokering negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians -- an apparent swipe at President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who have been pushing both sides for final status negotiations despite Hamas's takeover of Gaza in June.

"It is not in the interest of the United States, at a time when it is being threatened by Islamist terrorists, to assist the creation of another state that will support terrorism," the former New York City mayor said.

"Palestinian statehood will have to be earned through sustained good governance, a clear commitment to fighting terrorism, and a willingness to live in peace with Israel," Giuliani said...

Interestingly, when Bush first took over the Presidency, he too ignored the United State's role in brokering negotiations between Israel and Palestine, allowing the situation between Israel and Palestine to spiral into violence and chaos. This helped the rise of Hamas, a true terrorist regime.

Giuliani wishes to emulate this failed Bush policy that even Bush has abandoned. And what is he offering?

Israel and the Fatah government that holds sway in the West Bank are in favor of brokered negotiations towards the recognition of both Israel and Palestine as two viable states. Hamas is opposed to such brokered peace negotiations. Giuliani is agreeing with the Hamas position. Giuliani is agreeing with the position of Hezbollah and Iran. Giuliani is taking the most extremist view of Israel/Palestine. What is the alternative to negotiations?

Violence. Israel and Gaza, as well as Gaza and the West Bank, are on the verge of war, with Hezbollah waiting in the wings. The only way to strengthen the position of Fatah vis a vis Hamas is through brokered negotiations towards recognition of Palestine. Abandonment of diplomacy in essence cedes control of the situation to the most extreme elements: Hamas, Hezbollah and Likud, all of whom want war, not a negotiated peace and two-state solution.

Giuliani is siding wih Hamas, Hezbollah and Likud and against the interests of Fatah and the people of Israel and Palestine in general. Giuliani offers no policy as a policy, which is precisely the mistake Bush made early in his presidency.

The UN established two states: Israel and Palestine. The legal existence of one presupposes the legal existence of the other because they were both created by the same act of the UN. Neither nation exists currently except for the UN partition. Arab invasions in 1948 prevented the formation of a Palestinian state, thus preventing full implementation of the UN partition. Unless two viable states exsist in peace, then the situation is unstable because it does not conform to the the legal two-state solution that created both states.

Anyone who denies the existence of either Israel or Palestine is in essence denying the existence of both. In general it is only extremists on both sides, those who thrive on continued war, who oppose negotiations towards a peaceful, two-state solution. Giuliani's proposed abandonment of diplomacy leaves no other solution but war. Israel can stand up to war. They've done it before. But I doubt Fatah can for very long. Lebanon, too, is poised for a new civil war. Giuliani's stated policy will destabilize the entire region, Israel included. Israel can survive, but it will be faced with a strengthened Hamas and Hezbollah, which does no one any good but Syria and Iran.

Giuliani's pro-Hamas policy sucks! Only brokered negotiation towards a two-state solution can work.