Weekly Commentary: Mossad head to push comprehensive peace agreement?
Dr. Aaron Lerner 3 July, 2019

Mossad head Yossi Cohen told the Herzliya Conference this week that "the
Mossad sees a rare opportunity to reach a regional understanding that would
lead to a comprehensive peace agreement" and that "It’s the Mossad's role to
lead this effort.”

Let's be clear about the situation.

We share a common enemy with many of our Sunni neighbors.

And these neighbors are willing to collaborate with us in facing the
challenges created by our common enemy.

Beyond that, rhetoric notwithstanding, our neighbors share other interests
with us that are of greater importance or interest than the Palestinian
cause is to them.

So this most certainly creates opportunities for both clandestine and open
relations and cooperation.

If Mr. Cohen cites a comprehensive peace agreement" just to provide our
neighbors with PC cover for clandestine and open relations and cooperation
with the Jewish State that's one thing.

But if, instead, the Mossad is going to take a role in pushing for some kind
of "comprehensive peace agreement" with the Palestinians this raises many
serious questions.

A necessary condition of a viable and durable arrangement is the absence of
Palestinian sovereignty as Palestinian sovereignty would ultimately unravel
whatever security arrangements are included in the deal.

And under international law the fact that those arrangements were no longer
in place would in no way roll back the sovereign status of the Palestinian
state.

Will risk assessments by the Mossad be tailored to support the creation of a
sovereign Palestinian state in order to achieve a "comprehensive peace
agreement"?

Let's step back a step.

The Mossad's ultimate goal is insuring the survival of the State of Israel.

Regional understanding could most definitely contribute to achieving this
goal.

But truly pushing for a "comprehensive peace agreement" is more likely to
contribute to instability in the region to the detriment of Israel.

If that's Yossi Cohen's goal I suggest he joins a political party and leave
his organization out of this.
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