Eight tentacles. Eight predictions. The now infamous “Paul the Octopus” has emerged from the FIFA World Cup with 100% accuracy, predicting all of Germany’s games as well as the final. Like consecutive flips of a coin, with what starts off as a 50-50 chance gets smaller and smaller with each next prediction. The odds of going eight for eight? 0.39 percent. For his next look into the proverbial crystal ball, Paul the Octopus would be smart to predict a two-state solution: lasting peace between Israelis and their Palestinian neighbors.
There is a lot the Jewish people can learn from this psychic, nonkosher specimen. No one would have put money on this psychic octopus, even if the payoff is about 256:1. Then again, two thousand years ago, who would have bet on the Jewish people? Whether it is oil lasting 8 days or an unbelievable statistical anomaly of an octopus having a perfect world cup bracket, the world is full of surprises. Our prediction is that peace is coming and we hope that we have the same clairvoyance  as Paul the Octopus.

Last week, Israel’s Prime Minister, Benyamin Netanyahu reaffirmed not only his desire to engage in direct talks with Mahmoud Abbas, but to arrive at a mutually amicable solution. We don’t want talks for the sake of talks, we want results, and with Netanyahu’s leadership, a solution that brings peace while ensuring Israel’s security is going to happen. If so many people can believe in the power of an octopus randomly choosing a box of food, it is time to believe in leaders. Benyamin Netanyahu is a leader, and he is asking Mr. Abbas to lead with him. As the Prime Minister said, he is ready for “President Abbas to grasp my hand, get into a room, shake it, sit down and negotiate a final settlement of peace between Israel and the Palestinians.”

What Israelis and Palestinians need is faith. At this time, it is far too easy to be skeptical. Direct talks need to happen, and they will happen. Never before in the history of the peace process have there ever been preconditions for face to face talks. And never before in the history of the peace process has there been such an opportunity as we are presented with today.

In the past, talks have not produced the level of results that were needed for both peoples. While Yasser Arafat was ready to happily reject a generous proposition and plunge the region into chaos, Mahmoud Abbas is a moderate leader who above all else, respects Israel’s right to exist. For over a year, the peace process was stalled. In the past, whether in 1979 with Egypt or 1993 with Oslo, we have seen how momentum is the key to success. Direct talks will get the train moving, and for the first time, both sides agree on our destination.

And that is something no one should bet against.

Photo: The Muqata Blog

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