Israel Matzav

Abu Ala: 'Give us what we want or we'll have a one state final solution

Ahmed Qrei Abu Ala, the chief 'negotiator' for the 'good terrorists' from Fatah, warned on Friday that if Israel does not give the 'Palestinians' what they want, the 'Palestinians' will attempt to implement the one state final solution.

Questioned by the Ma'an news agency over Israel's new construction plans in east Jerusalem, Qurei said that if Israel tries to impose facts on the ground, "I will tell them that we spent 30 years persuading Palestinians to accept a two-state solution, and if we do not succeed in achieving it, we will return to the idea of one state."

Of course, the idea of 'one state' means driving the Jews into the sea, hence my reference to it as the 'final solution.' Abu Ala made his remarks shortly after confirming that Israel and the 'Palestinians' have started to draft the elements of a 'peace accord,' which was also confirmed by government sources to Army Radio. That does not mean that an agreement has been reached.

Qurei made it clear, however, that it was not necessarily reflective of an agreement on major issues. Government officials reinforced this sentiment, telling Army Radio that the core issues - such as the status of Jerusalem, refugees, and borders - remain unresolved. Regardless, this would be the first time since negotiations resumed more than six months ago that anything would be committed to paper.

"We agreed with the Israelis to begin writing the positions," Qurei told reporters late Friday.

Qurei did not explain why the two sides had agreed at this point to begin drafting a text.

The head Palestinian negotiator did not say what issue the two sides would start with. If they reach agreement on any issue, then they will draft a single provision, he said. If not, they will lay out on paper their divergent views, he added.

Of course, Abu Ala is negotiating with a government that is on its way out. That's not a great way to negotiate existential issues, and politicians from Israel's right made clear today that they do not see themselves as bound by any 'agreement' the Olmert-Barak-Livni-Yishai government negotiates.

"It is important to emphasize that the next government will not recognize this document," Israel Beiteinu chairman and prime minister's former coalition partner Avigdor Lieberman said. "The document must be viewed as an underhanded move intended for [the government's] survival, and not a serious diplomatic accord reached responsibly and in good judgment."

Likud MK Silvan Shalom called the news "another spin aimed at creating the visage of a peace process. Important decision on war and peace must not be made for inappropriate reasons."

Likud faction chairman Gideon Sa'ar accused Prime Minister Ehud Olmert amd Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni of acting out of political motivations while "selling Israel's national interests." Sa'ar viewed the plan as "an attempt to force the hand of the next government with extreme concessions.

"The attempt to do this in the final moments of the Olmert-Livni government is an outrageous underhanded political move," he added.

The sooner the government falls, the sooner we can put a stop to this kind of nonsense.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:10 PM