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By Ira Sharkansky
 JERUSALEM—When I spent three years as an Assistant Professor in the Deep South during the mid-1960s, I came to realize the benefit of having to deal with serious challenges. I am not thinking of the KKK, although I did encounter some of those. I am thinking of people who grew up in a culture that did not question racism, and struggled with it.
I have noticed the same benefits among Israelis. Coping with threats, and avoiding simplistic solutions, adds to one's humanity. Along with fresh fruits and vegetables and a decent health system, the challenges contribute to enviable indicators of longevity.
It is also helps that Jews hope for the Messiah, but do not expect an arrival.
Latest news is that President Obama will continue to press Israel to make concessions, and will be no less gentle with Palestinians and other Arabs.
A Palestinian prominent among those who govern the West Bank says that Israel has moved in stages to be more accommodating. As a result, the Palestinians need not modify their position, but simply wait for more Israeli movement.
All that tells me that the Obama administration will age and pass from the scene, along with the current leaders of Palestine, without removing Israel-Palestine from the world's agenda.
It would help the Palestinians to reckon with the trend lines, using whatever time frame they want: from 1948, 1967, the
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onset of the first intifada 1987, or the second intifada 2000. Looking at all those possibilities, I see Palestinian deterioration and Israeli growth.
Aside from being realistic, I have no suggestion for my neighbors. They have to decide what to do. Waiting, without flexibility in their demands, is not helping them.
They could learn from the Jews, and not expect a Messiah to solve their problems.
Jews have been coping with stronger neighbors for something like 3,000 years, and are still learning.
One lesson came from the Lebanese War that began in 1982. Ariel Sharon aspired to reform Lebanon and help Israel at the same time. Eighteen years later and several thousand casualties, Ehud Barak decided that continued occupation was not worth the cost.
Lebanon II was better managed: withdrawal after a month; lots of damage inflicted that so far has kept the northern border quiet.
Gaza was even better managed: withdrawal after three weeks; many fewer Israeli casualties; lots of damage inflicted that so far has kept the southern border quiet.
The goal that has been learned is to achieve quiet, not total victory, and not the reform of another society.
Israel is no angel of mercy. But compare the civilian casualties it has inflicted, casualties among its own troops, and the accomplishments achieved, with what the US has done since War II.
Israel may deserve a collective medal for its admirable management of national defense.
So far no member of the United Nations has made the proposal.
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