Questions for Fayyad
President Obama spoke at Al-Azhar University in Cairo on June 4. Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke at Bar Ilan University in Ramat Gan on June 14. And on June 22, suit-and-tie-clad 'Palestinian' Prime Minister Salam Fayyad is scheduled to speak at Al-Quds University in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Abu Dis.I have a number of questions I'd like to see Fayyad answer:
1. Does the fact that Hamas' Khaled Meshaal deferred his speech, which had been scheduled for Saturday in Damascus, in favor of Fayyad, indicate that a rapprochement between Hamas and Fatah is imminent? If so, does that mean that Hamas will be accepting the quartet's conditions (recognizing Israel's right to exist, abiding by past agreements and eschewing the use of terrorism)?
2. Is the 'Palestinian Authority' now ready to fight terrorism both from Hamas and from its own ranks?
3. Is the 'Palestinian Authority' now ready to stop the incitement to terrorism and hatred in its official and unofficial media?
4. Is the 'Palestinian Authority' ready to recognize Israel's existence as a Jewish state?
5. Is the 'Palestinian Authority' ready to negotiate - rather than dictate - on the question of borders?
6. Is the 'Palestinian Authority' ready to negotiate - rather than dictate - on the question of Jerusalem?
7. Assuming an agreement is reached, is the 'Palestinian Authority' willing to sign an end of conflict statement?
8. Will the 'Palestinian Authority' agree to whatever security guarantees and border adjustments are necessary to make both the Jewish state and the 'Palestinian' state secure and defensible? Please understand that this means that any 'Palestinian state' will have to be demilitarized.
9. Will the 'Palestinian Authority' collect weapons from all but its police force? Will it collect all heavy weapons such as missiles and automatic rifles and collect all ammunition from all but its police force?
10. Will the 'Palestinian Authority work to build the 'Palestinian state' from the ground up, including schools, roads and other infrastructure?
I don't expect Fayyad to address any of those points in his speech. But I thought they should be put on the table.
And no, I am not advocating for the 'Palestinian Authority' as Israel's negotiating partner. They differ from Hamas only on tactics.
/Wondering how much attention Fayyad's speech will get from the media.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:04 PM
1 Comments:
I don't think the Palestinians will do anything. Salam Fayyad isn't all popular with the Arab Street and nothing he says will convince Israelis that he can or will ever deliver the goods. There is no sign Palestinian rejectionism of Israel is about to disppear. I'd love for Fayyad to prove us all wrong but that's like expecting a camel to find water in the middle of the desert.
That's why I don't have great expectations for his speech today.
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