it ▁the ▁[ t our ism ] ▁potential ▁it ▁has ▁got . ▁You ' re ▁creating ▁a ▁whole ▁set ▁of ▁st ake - hold ers ▁who , ▁when ▁it ▁comes ▁to ▁those ▁difficult ▁con cess ions , ▁are ▁going ▁to ▁say , ▁" We ▁want ▁the ▁state ." ▁They ▁are ▁then ▁bel ieving ▁in ▁a ▁reality , ▁not ▁a ▁sh ib bo le th ▁... ▁▁▁ ▁On ▁December ▁ 8 , ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁Isra eli ▁President ▁Re u ven ▁Riv lin ▁wrote ▁an ▁opinion ▁piece ▁in ▁the ▁Washington ▁Post ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁stated : ▁ ▁Israel ▁must ▁take ▁steps ▁to ▁improve ▁the ▁situation ▁independent ▁of ▁the ▁ge opol it ical ▁territorial ▁debate   – ▁steps ▁that ▁every ▁sensible ▁person ▁understand s ▁serve ▁simultaneously ▁Israel ’ s ▁moral ▁and ▁practical ▁interests . ▁Without ▁resol ving ▁the ▁question ▁of ▁whether ▁or ▁not ▁Israel ▁today ▁has ▁a ▁Palest in ian ▁partner ▁for ▁peace , ▁it ▁is ▁self - ev ident ▁that ▁the ▁building ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁Palest in ian ▁city , ▁Raw abi , ▁is ▁in ▁Israel ’ s ▁interest . ▁Like wise , ▁it ▁is ▁clear ▁that ▁cultiv ating ▁channels ▁of ▁communication ▁and ▁co operation ▁between ▁Isra eli ▁and ▁Palest in ian ▁business men , ▁educ ators ▁and ▁cultural ▁figures ▁impro ves ▁our ▁situation . ▁ ▁General ▁history ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁the ▁first ▁efforts ▁in ▁this ▁area ▁occurred ▁when ▁Palest in ian ▁and ▁Isra eli ▁officials ▁reached ▁an ▁agreement ▁to ▁create ▁six ▁to ▁nine ▁industrial ▁par ks