The Palestinians: Ten Points The U.S. Needs To Consider
by Khaled Abu Toameh, GATESTONE INSTITUTE
Even if a Palestinian State were established, Hamas and other groups would work to take control of it, and, with the help of Iran and Al-Qaeda, turn it into a launching pad for attacking Israel and other neighbors.
It is hard to find one Palestinian who believes that US President Barack Obama’s upcoming visit to the region will lead to a breakthrough in the Middle East “peace process.”
Palestinian Authority officials in Ramallah said they too are not pinning any hopes on Obama’s visit. “The situation is much more complicated than Obama thinks,” remarked a top PA official in a briefing ahead of the US president’s visit. “We do not believe we will see any changes on the ground.”
But as Obama prepares to visit the region, he would do well to take the following facts into consideration:
1. Any agreement reached between Israel and the Palestinian Authority would be rejected by a large number of Palestinians, especially Palestinian refugees who continue to insist on the “right of return” to their former villages inside Israel.
2. A majority of Arabs and Muslims would also reject a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, especially in wake of the “Arab Spring,” which has seen the rise of Islamists to power in a number of Arab countries. It is hard to see how the ruling Muslim Brotherhood organization in Egypt, for example, would welcome any peace agreement with the “Zionist entity.”
3. Even if a Palestinian state were established in the West Bank, Hamas and other groups would work to take control of it and, with the help of Iran and Al-Qaeda, turn it into a launching pad for attacking Israel and other neighbors. The Palestinian Authority is in power thanks to the presence of the Israel Defense Force in the West Bank. Ironically, ending Israeli “occupation” would also bring an end to Abbas’s rule.
4. Most Palestinians do not see the US as an honest broker. Any agreement reached under the auspices of the US Administration would be received with utmost suspicion. Already, many Palestinian activists are waging a campaign on Facebook and Twitter to “prevent Obama from desecrating the land of Palestine.” The activists have called for “huge demonstrations” in the West Bank to protest against Obama’s visit; they are even preparing shoes to throw at his motorcade.
5. With the exception of Fatah, all Palestinian organizations — primarily Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine — would automatically reject any peace agreement with Israel for various reasons. Some of these groups want to see Israel wiped off the face of the earth, while others believe that Israel would never accept all their demands, such as a full withdrawal to the pre-1967 lines and the release of all Palestinian prisoners.
6. The Palestinians are divided into two camps not only geographically, but also ideologically. The first is a radical camp that does not want to deliver on any front: it believes that Israel has no right to exist. The second is the less-radical camp, or the “moderates.” This second camp is also not able to deliver: it does not have enough control over the Palestinian territories, let alone a mandate from the Palestinians.
7. Abbas is opposed to the idea of reaching an interim agreement with Israel that would lead to the establishment of a temporary Palestinian state on the parts of the West Bank that are controlled by the Palestinian Authority.
8. Even the Palestinian Authority appears to be divided into two camps, one headed by Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and the second led by Abbas. Tensions between the two have been mounting in wake of the resignation of Palestinian Finance Minister Nabil Qassis. While Abbas has rejected the resignation, Fayyad has accepted it, triggering a crisis with the Palestinian Authority president.
9. Many Palestinians, including Abbas and the Palestinian Authority leadership, are opposed to the resumption of peace talks unless Israel releases a significant number of Palestinian prisoners, halts all construction in settlements, as well as east Jerusalem, and accepts the pre-1967 lines as the future borders of a Palestinian state.
10. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas does not have a mandate from his people to reach any agreement with Israel: his term in office expired in January 2009.
bottom line: no peace, only war
Solution: transfer across contiguous borders
Currently Syria is the most easily accessible hostile border(therefore needing no agreements for transfer) but Lebanon and Gaza are also “porous” and all 3 already contain the UNHRWA which should only need to expand their operations there and wind down their operations in Israel. Regarding legal libels and threats: the answer is that a precedent has been set by the transfer of Jews from the arab nations as a result of the same ongoing conflict and there has been no legal action taken, no compensation given and no Geneva Convention action. Hence the transfer has been deemed acceptable by the relevant parties. The advantage is that it is the only solution that can be achieved solely with unilateral action.
11. The Arabs of palestine already have their state on 80% of the land originally earmarked by the League of Nations as the homeland of the Jewish people.
12. These Arabs were considered Jordanians until Jordan summarily and illegal revoked their citizenship whereupon they suddenly and miraculously morphed into the venerable “Palestinian People” overnight.
13. No peace is possible with a people who’s identity has been forged by the singular desire to eradicate the Jewish people which is the sum total of the “Palestinian People’s” ethos, identity and national aspiration.
14. They danced in the street and handed out candies on 9/11.
15. The Palestinian identity is composed primarily of their opposition to the existence of Israel. Peace would force a re-definition that they could not handle without losing their sense of purpose.
16. Palestinians profit financially from their opposition to Israel. It would be fair to say that they are paid mercenaries for anyone from the EU and America to Iran. Indeed, it would also be fair to say that the Palestinians are in the business of opposing Israel.
17. The current semi-peace that provides jobs and the space-time for them to raise their children is much prized by the Palestinians when compared to the effects of either war or the potential independence offered by Israel as a solution to the conflict.
18. Islam can be easily interpreted as calling for eternal war against the Jews. Opposition to forever-war can lead to a Muslim’s eternal damnation according to some of their religious practitioners.
The Palestinians right of return should and must be to Jordan. Muslim Arabs (SA & Gulf states) should helped them since for the past 65 years they refused what is the only correct & logical solution. The West could help too.
Perhaps a few thousands of true Pal could be accepted in IL. Very few thousands.
Jerry, you wrote: “18. Islam can be easily interpreted as calling for eternal war against the Jews. Opposition to forever-war can lead to a Muslim’s eternal damnation according to some of their religious practitioners.” But, this is not an “interpretation”. The Koran definitely calls for eternal war against Christians and Jews (“People of the Book”)until they are subjugated and humiliated and pay special taxes. See 9:29 of the Koran. There are no other “interpretations” of this. When you say that Islam can easily be interpreted this way, you imply that Islam can be interpreted other ways.
And you think the Arab states are suddenly going to make life easier for Israel? Suddenly they will wake up tomorrow with no greater desire to take in the Palestinians and help Israel redeem the land.
And you call me nuts?!
We are broke. Israel is one of the few Western countries not on the verge of economic collapse. According the Jewish Forward, Jews have above average incomes, so maybe they should pay the lion’s share rather than bankrupt goyim.
Sure, if Israel pays them to leave; and they come in with that cash.
Then we agree. No further negotiations with the PA. Deport them instead.