Moreover, if there is a deadlock in future agreements, the entire world will blame the PLO for stifling peace and no one will blame Israel for denying the Palestinians their national rights.

And the issue of statehood isn't the only problem with the accord. The Declaration of Principles does not mention the future of the Palestinian refugees and exiles in Jordan and Syria who have waited for years to return to their homes and land. It deliberately avoids the question of who will control the borders between the territories, Egypt and Jordan. It ignores the issue of Jewish settlements in the West Bank, and it limits the size of the area to be conceded by Israel to a space far too small for the creation of a stable state or economy.

For all these reasons, the accord is flawed. Meanwhile, Israel is pressuring Arafat to use force to stifle Palestinian opposition to the plan. Under such Israeli pressure, the Palestinians are being forced to accept a peace that undermines our sovereignty.

Yet if there is to be a true peace, it must be a just peace. What is important in the end is the establishment of a situation where there are no losers. Such a solution can only result if the negotiations are held between equals. Israel has the power to create this peace by acknowledging the right of the Palestinians to a state of their own.

When it comes down to it, peace involves more than written agreements--it involves people's emotions. The simple fact is that many people just aren't ready to make peace, and certainly not according to the outline now being negotiated. It isn't easy to put the past behind us and forget our original aspirations for a state, because so many young men and women have already died fighting for this cause.

Radi Annab '95 is president of the Society of Arab Students.