France's theater of the absurd

My tendency to respect elected officials precludes me from believing that the 339 members of the French Parliament who voted in favor of a decision to recognize a Palestinian state truly believe that they have helped advance peace and the establishment of Palestine. If they hadn't already done so themselves, I would give them a round of applause in appreciation of the hypocritical theatrics, which were more appropriate to the Comedie-Francaise.

It's hard to believe, but 151 representatives opposed the decision. Is it possible that they oppose a Palestinian state? Oppose peace? The decision by France's parliament is hypocritical and does nothing to promote peace in our region. At most it promotes a sense of satisfaction in those who did support Palestinian statehood and feel that they are approaching the status of Gandhi, Mandela, or Mother Theresa, but have actually torpedoed the peace process. What's just as bad, they are contributing to the growing hostility toward the Jewish community in France.

And maybe this is a matter of demographics as far as the parliamentarians from the Left are concerned, and it's an election strategy -- courting the Muslim vote.

Israel didn't wait for Sweden or for parliamentary decisions in Ireland, Britain, Spain, or France -- and Belgium and the European Union tomorrow -- to recognize a Palestinian state. Look at the 1947 two-state proposal, or the speech of (right-wing) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Bar-Ilan University in which he spoke of the idea of two states for two peoples. We would remind the members of France's parliament that we are still waiting for PA President Mahmoud Abbas to make a comparable speech at Bir Zeit University, recognizing a Jewish state.

The French Parliament went even further than its counterparts in Britain and Spain. Foreign Affairs Minister Laurent Fabius presented an initiative that discusses a two-year period of negotiations (a boon to U.S. President Barack Obama-), at the end of which we will rejoice in longed-for peace or official French recognition of a Palestinian state. This could be interpreted as either a kind of ultimatum for Israel or as an incentive for the Palestinians not to make any concessions.

France completely ignoring the rocket fire from Gaza, the tough fighting, the children's funerals we endured this past summer; Abbas' insufferable speech at the U.N.; the despicable terrorist attack at a Jerusalem synagogue; the flourishing of the Islamic Jihad -- in Europe, too -- is infuriating. And by the way, parliaments usually concern themselves with internal affairs. Could it be that all of France's problems have been solved?

The approach that international recognition of a Palestinian state will move things forward is totally removed from reality. How has making Palestine an observer nation in the U.N. in 2002 benefitted the Palestinians? How have they benefitted from Palestine being recognized as a UNESCO member -- by France, as well -- in 2011? Paradoxically, if a Palestinian state is ever founded, it will be through Israel's doing.

The French theater has been given 339 new Molieres who have written a new absurdist play. Given its success, it will be interesting to see when the show about a Kurdish state opens. Or would that be too serious-

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