'Palestinian Authority' suspends 'negotiations'
The 'Palestinian Authority' has suspended negotiations with Israel due to IDF action against Hamas in Gaza. Lest any of you think that they don't regard Hamas as their 'brothers' anymore....Palestinian Authority chief negotiator Ahmed Qureia suspended talks with Israel Saturday over stepped-up IDF operations which killed some 60 terrorists and wounded at least 60 others in Gaza, most of them members of Hamas.And 'moderate' 'Palestinian' President
Senior PA negotiator Saeb Erekat told the AFP news agency "The negotiations are buried under the houses that were destroyed in Gaza. The peace process has been destroyed because of the aggressions and the crimes that have been committed."
Qureia officially notified Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni of the decision Saturday evening. She replied, "Even if the Palestinians suspend talks, it won't influence in any way the decisions or operations Israel carries out to defend its citizens. From the beginning, this was the basis of talks with the moderate elements in the Palestinian Authority."
The attacks on Gaza terrorists came after days of warnings by government officials there would be a "harsh response" if they did not cease attacking Israel with rockets, averaging two attacks per hour since last Wednesday.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Saturday that Israel held Hamas responsible for the civilian casualties and would continue its operations to end the terror attacks on Israeli citizens.
"We are not happy about civilians being hurt in Gaza," said Barak in a statement. "Hamas and those who fire rockets at Israel are responsible and they will pay the price."
PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas Saturday evening appealed to the United Nations to force Israel to end its attacks. "[Abbas] has asked for an urgent session of the Security Council," said PA spokesman Nabil Abu Rdainah in a statement.This report goes on to give several foreign reactions. Most of them were particularly condemning, but I found this one from 'quartet' Middle East envoy Tony Blair the most curious:
Denouncing the attacks as "more than a Holocaust," Abbas called for "international protection for the Palestinian people," claiming that IDF attacks were aimed at "innocent women, children and old people." Abbas's doctoral thesis in 1983 dealt with denying the extent of the Holocaust.
Quartet Middle East envoy Tony Blair harshly condemned the constant rocket fire on southern Israel by Gaza terrorists while at the same time appealing to Israeli officials to avoid hurting Gaza civilians while trying to end the attacks on western Negev residents.Hey Tony, why don't you suggest to Hamas that they come out and fight like men instead of hiding behind children?
"The loss of civilian life including children is absolutely tragic," said Blair on Friday. "The rocket attacks which resulted in the death of an innocent Israeli and injuries to many more must cease and are utterly to be condemned."
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:46 AM
2 Comments:
Here is an idea for any readers in the Israeli government.
It should be the policy of the government of Israel that no negotiations of any sort may be resumed without a month of absolutely no attacks on Israel or Israeli people, or property.
Thats the carrot.
The stick should be something like if there are 3 consecutive 30 day periods in which attacks have occurred, then Israel will assume that the attackers and their putative government are in a defacto state of war. Which will be prosecuted by Israel forthwith and with no delay.
Give them one, exactly one, final chance to do the right thing by their people. Draw the line in the sand, and point out to them and the world the consequences of crossing that line.
Note that crossing this line permanently forecloses upon any negotiations that result in Israel giving up land.
Framed correctly, a rational actor will finally decide to do the right thing.
They are not rational, they will always act against their people's own interest. They have an unbroken 100 year string of doing so in that region.
Yes this means ignoring the shrill UN, and lots of the rest of the world. Considering that Condi and the US government now appear to be largely dis-interested in standing behind the principles they used to espouse, Israel will have to ignore its friend.
Its well past time Israel starts acting in its own self interest. Don't let the tail wag the dog any more. It is time to put an end to this.
Israel should wipe out the terrorists root and branch. There is a military solution to the problem of Arab terror. Its just Israeli governments have been too cowardly to pursue the only peace policy that works - shoot first and bury the enemy.
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