Thinking Behind the Times

THINKING BEHIND THE TIMES The solution of a contemporary issue can never happen on the basis of past precedence. The solution to a present problem always happens in the present context. This is an irrevocable historical law. I n March 2002, a new concept emerged among Arab countries in the context of a possible solution to the issue of Palestine. And that was, that if Israel withdrew to its 1967 borders, the Arab countries would recognize it. Talking to a Jewish person, an educated Arab presented this proposal before him. The Jewish person replied, smiling, ‘Dear neighbour, you are too late.’ Now, the above proposal of the Arabs seems nice, but it is certainly not practicable. It is actually thinking behind the times, which is something that is not workable in practice. It is a bitter reality that for the Arabs, with regard to the issue of Palestine what was possible in 1917 had become impossible in 1948. In the same way, what was possible for them in 1948 no longer remained possible in 1967. Likewise, what was possible for them in 1967 did not remain possible for them in