If he lived in 'Palestine' he couldn't say things like this
Unlike most 'Palestinians,' comedian Ray Hanania has freedom of speech. He lives in Chicago. Hanania is a candidate for President of the 'Palestinian Authority.' Although he has no chance of winning, he has some radical ideas that are actually compromises with Israel. The following is the text of Hanania's outline. I have taken the liberty of numbering the clauses, with an eye toward facilitating discussion:Hmmm. But there's no chance of it happening. Unlike Hanania, the 'Palestinian leadership,' the Arab states and most 'Palestinians' don't want a state. They want to destroy the Jewish one.
1. I support two-states, one Israel and one Palestine. As far as I am concerned, I can recognize Israel's "Jewish" character and Israelis should recognize Palestine's "non-Jewish" character.
2. I oppose violence of any kind from and by anyone. I reject Hamas' participation in any Palestinian government without first agreeing to surrender all arms and to accept two-states as a "final" peace agreement. But I also reject allowing Israeli settlers to carry any weapons and believe Israelis must impose the same restrictions on them.
3. I can support some settlements remaining - given the reality of 42 years of time passing - in a dunam-for-dunam land exchange. If Ariel is 500 dunams with a lifeline from Israel, then Israel gives Palestine 500 dunams in exchange.
4. Jerusalem should be a shared city and Palestinians should have an official presence in East Jerusalem. The Old City should be shared by both permitting open access to the city to all with a joint Palestinian-Israeli police presence.
5. Palestinian refugees would give up their demand to return to pre-1948 homes and lands lost during the conflict with Israel. Instead, some could apply for family reunification through Israel and the remainder would be compensated through a fund created and maintained by the United States, Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia and the United Nations.
6. I also think Israelis should find it in their hearts to show compassion and offer their apologies to Palestinians for the conflict.
7. I support creation of a similar fund to compensate those Jews from Arab lands who lost their homes and lands, too, when they fled.
8. I think the Wall should be torn down, or relocated to the new borders. I have no problem separating the two nations for a short duration to help rebuild confidence between our two people.
9. All political parties, Palestinian and Israelis, should eliminate languages denying each other's existence, and all maps should be reprinted so that Israeli maps finally show Palestine and Palestinian maps finally show Israel.
10. A subway system should be built linking the West Bank portion of the Palestine state to the Gaza Strip portion of the Palestine State. Palestine should be permitted to build a seaport access to strengthen its industry, and an airport to permit flights and too and from the Arab and Israeli world.
11. I would urge the Arab World to renew their offer to normalize relations with Israel if Israel agrees to support the creation of a Palestinian State.
12. And I would ask both countries to establish embassies in each other's country to address other problems.
13. While non-Jewish Palestinians would continue to live in Israel as citizens, Jews who wish to live in settlements surrendered by Israel could become Palestinian citizens and they should be recognized and treated equally.
14. If Jews want to live in Hebron, they should be allowed to live in Hebron and should be protected, just as non-Jews. In fact, for every Jewish individual seeking to live in Palestine, a Palestinian should be permitted to live in Israel. In fact, major Palestinian populations in Israel could be annexed into Palestine (like settlements).
15. Another concept is to have non-Jews living in Israel continue to live there but only vote in Palestinian elections, while Jews living in Palestine would only vote in Israeli elections. A special citizenship protection committee could be created to explore how to protect the rights of minorities in each state.
16. Israel and Palestine should create joint-governing and security agencies working with the United States to monitor the peace, and establish an agency to pursue criminal acts of violence.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:50 AM
3 Comments:
I saw this guy online. he's a player. says pretty much "two state solution" things... and then ends it with "Israel should apologize to the Palestinian people". It pissed me off so much that I didn't bother to talk about it till it was mentioned on this blog. Hanania plays "moderate", but in the end he indicts pie in the victims faces.
on the positive side of things... (gotta keep positive)... I do like the subway idea connecting Gaza and areas occupied by Arabs in Judea and Samaria.
...but in the end this guy is just looking to fling mud. Israel should never apologize for not dying.
I'd sooner see Israel give up Jerusalem then ever apologize to those that were trying to murder Jews for centuries merely because they did not share a religion.
Israel has no reason to apologize for existing. Palestinian suffering was and is self-inflicted. Its their leaders who want to maintain it instead of making peace with Israel. If any one should offer an apology, the Palestinian leaders should offer one to their own people, Israel and the world. The prospects though they will ever be ready for a compromise peace are none. Rejectionism is the default position in Palestinian politics.
I'm not sure "moderate" is a correct description for Hanania. He seems to have one version for English-speaking crowd, and another for Arabs. See this letter he sent to a Lebanese paper for a very different take (It's also possible he renounced such sentiments since then, but experience should teach us to be suspicious).
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