Israel Matzav

It's not about territory - it's about Israel's existence

Yes, I know, I have talked about this several times before but it bears pointing out again: the dispute between Israel and the Arabs (a term which includes the 'Palestinians') is not about territory or borders. It's about Israel's existence. We got another reminder of that this morning.

A survey by the Al-Mustaqabal Research Institute shows that 64.1% of the 'Palestinians' are not willing to agree to the Saudi initiative, which calls for Israel to leave Judea and Samaria, for a 'Palestinian' state reichlet to be established in Judea and Samaria, and for the Arab world to recongnize Israel's existence (but not its 'right to exist' - contrary to what you see reported in most of the media).

The survey, released yesterday (Monday), indicates that despite the many pro-Arab decisions over the years in the UN, a strong majority of 77.3% view the international community and its decisions as "unfair to the Palestinians." Close to 69% even feel that the Arab initiative approved at the Beirut Summit in 2002 is not fair.

Over 60% of those polled support Hamas for not having yielded to international pressure to recognize Israel.

The respondents were divided over the proper course for the PA to take in the event that Fatah and Hamas fail to agree on a unity government. 35.5% feel that Hamas should continue to run the government, while only a third of that amount - 11.8% - say Fatah should lead. 23.6% feel that new elections should be held.

Yesterday, a Fatah central committee meeting in Amman that was supposed to authorize 'moderate Palestinian President' Mahmoud Abbas Abu Mazen to dissolve the Hamas-led 'Palestinian government' broke up without reaching an agreement. This morning, the London-based Arabic daily al-Hayat is reporting that Abu Mazen will not fire the Hamas-led government. Today is the deadline that Abu Mazen gave Hamas to reach an agreement on a 'national unity government.'

In the meantime, instead of preparing to defend us against Hamas and Hezbullah, the Olmert-Peretz-Livni government continues to prepare to expel Jews from their homes in Judea and Samaria and turn them over to Hamas. But the truth is that it wouldn't matter whether they turn the homes or the land on which they are built over to Hamas or Fatah, because there is really no difference between them. The following is a from an excellent op-ed written by Isi Leibler in today's Jerusalem Post:

THE REALITY is that despite wearing a suit and tie and talking to Westerners like a moderate, Abbas is simply paying lip service to a two-state policy - with the caveat that it must incorporate the "right of return" of Arab refugees; a prescription for our demise.

More importantly, before Hamas won the election Abbas reigned over a regime whose central pillars - cultural, religious and educational - were based on sanctifying the murder of Jews as a supreme religious and national objective.

Mothers of suicide bombers appeared on official PA TV exulting the martyrdom of their sons; PA broadcasts of sermons in mosques called on congregants to kill Jews; schools, kindergartens and summer camps brainwashed children into accepting suicide bombers as ultimate role models.

While occasionally condemning violence in remarks to the Western media, Abbas hailed families of suicide bombers as heroes and personally authorized them to receive a $250 monthly stipend. A recent PA Ministry of Culture book of the month honored Hanadi Jaradat, the suicide bomber who blew up 21 people at a Haifa restaurant. Wafa Idris, the first woman suicide bomber, has become a Palestinian role model for feminism. Football teams are named after "martyrs."

At least Hamas is honest about its evil intent to destroy Israel. But the reality is that Abbas's Fatah movement's armed wings are responsible for murdering far more Israelis than Hamas has.

Leibler says that Israel really needs to learn to just say no to Condaleeza Rice's demands for 'concessions.'

ONE GAINS the impression that all the lessons of the Oslo disaster, including the pledge not to provide concessions without reciprocity, are being placed in cold storage.

Like a sick parody, we are once again operating on the premise that the PA - even as Kassams rain down on the south - is once again going to become our peace partner. And, worst of all, our government is trying to spin this sad reversal into a victory!

...

We are currently being led by people who seem to have forsaken any vestige of common sense. Lacking the confidence of the nation they are incapable of resisting unreasonable demands from our American friends because, as lame ducks, they desperately need to cling to the coattails of the American administration.

I couldn't agree more. But I don't like Leibler's conclusion:

IF REALPOLITIK obliges us to take steps that may weaken our security, we should at least do so under protest and inform our supporters of the dangers that such demands will impose on our future. By implicitly endorsing the nonsense being promoted about our moderate Palestinian "peace partners" we are paving the way for more demands and concessions that will undoubtedly cost us dearly in the future.

At the very least, we should be launching information campaigns to expose the hypocrisy and deceit of our fraudulent peace partners and reminding the world that appeasement emboldens and encourages terrorists everywhere.

The heck with realpolitik. Just say no!

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:16 PM