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Reader question: In the following passage (John Kerry warns Israel could become ‘apartheid state’, April 28, 2017), what does “take-it-or-leave-it” mean? Mr Kerry said he was considering presenting Israel and the Palestinians with his own peace plan on a “take-it-or-leave-it” basis and suggested that negotiations might have a better chance of success if there was a change of leadership on either side. My comments: John Kerry is the Secretary of State of the United States. He’s mediating a deal aimed at lasting peace between Israel and Palestine. Lasting peace, of course, has been the elusive goal for the Israelis and Palestinians since day one. In other words, it’s never been achieved. Both parties have offered and counter-offered their own peace plans over the years and none have worked. That’s why Kerry is considering offering them his own peace plan, on behalf of the United States. However, this American plan is on a “take it or leave it” basis. It is a take-it-or-leave-it proposal, i.e. non-negotiable. They may accept this deal or they may refuse to accept it, but neither Israel nor Palestine can make changes to it. That’s the essence of “take it or leave it”. The choices are clear cut, yes or no, without a third alternative. If you take it, you accept it as a whole. If you leave it, you refuse it as a whole. For instance, if your potential employer offers you a contract that pays you half a million US dollars a year (I’m making it lucrative only to attract your greedy attention) but asks you to work the night shift once a week and says it’s a “take it or leave it” offer, it means, well, yeah you can take it or you can leave it. You can’t say you’ll take the money and skip the night shift. Nor can you take less money to escape the night work. In taking it, you take it as a whole. In leaving it, you leave it as a whole. | 
