discredit them by claiming that there is a "slant," the situation will go on as it is and get worse.
The recognition claim is a "straw man" - Palestinians have no real power other than rhetoric. Israelis other than those who are RW Likudists recognize this. Yes, as someone who has no skin in the game, I can intellectually agree with the concept that the Palestinians "should" recognize Israel's right to exist first. But shouldn't actions speak louder than words? If Palestinians are willing to come to the table at all, that is an implicit recognition of Israel's right to exist.
On the other hand, I've seen no recognition by RW Israelis that Palestinians even have the right to exist as a people. And Israel, with US support, has the power to wipe the Palestinians out completely.
The world outside the US sees this quite clearly. That does not necessarily mean that other countries side against Israel as the RW likes to depict things, i.e., Israel versus The World. Witness, for example, the plethora of ongoing bilateral and multilateral trade and other agreements, etc. that other nations have with Israel. But it does mean that they hate the hypocrisy and unfairness of the US position. This ongoing and festering power imbalance has done more harm to US goodwill abroad than any other single issue since WWII.
It's pretty pitiful when people in the US (as I assume you are) who are far from the situation and who have their own "slant" insist that their views should prevail over those who have to live with this situation on a daily basis. There are pragmatists/people of goodwill on both sides. Let them start talking to each other with NO pre-conditions on EITHER side! That is my most fervent wish.
Seriously negotiating is a win-win for both sides. Not negotiating at all is lose-lose. This situation only continues to destabilize the entire region. After all, it is the region that poses a much more significant threat to Israel's existence than the Palestinians themselves ever can or will.
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