Israel Matzav

'Palestinian' groups slam Fayyad for shaking hands with Barak

Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the PFLP (Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine) all slammed Fatah Prime Minister Salam Fayyad on Monday for shaking hands with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak.

According to Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum, "This plotting security meeting is part of the surrender to American pressure and Zionist orders. It's aimed at increasing the security cooperation with the enemy, in an attempt to destroy the resistance and guarantee the enemy's security."

Barhoum added, "Fayyad only represents himself, and the Fatah's Authority in the West Bank does not represent the Palestinian people. We won't accept the results of their negotiations, which will not be binding as far as the Palestinian people are concerned."

The meeting, held several hours before Netanyahu leaves to Washington for his meeting with Obama, "gives legitimization to the Judaization plan and the expulsion of Palestinians – and particularly Jerusalem residents – from their lands and homes," Barhoum said.

"This is a serious provocation against the Palestinian people and their feelings, and against all those who identify with the Palestinian people. This is a PA disgrace. The meeting reveals the lies of Abu Mazen (Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas), who said there would be no direct negotiations with the enemy."

Read the whole thing.

You can't just dismiss Hamas and the others by saying they have no legitimacy and that we won't deal with them. I'm not suggesting that we ought to deal with them. But Barhoum is right that "Fayyad only represents himself, and the Fatah's Authority in the West Bank does not represent the Palestinian people... the results of their negotiations... will not be binding as far as the Palestinian people are concerned." Fayyad is appointed by and is supported only by the quartet and not by the 'Palestinians.' Abu Mazen's term expired more than a year ago, and he is ruling by fiat. I'm not suggesting that Hamas ought to rule nor that we should facilitate Hamas coming to power by elections or otherwise. I'm suggesting that we're dealing with someone who cannot deliver the goods and that we ought to reconsider whether we should be holding negotiations with the 'Palestinians' at all given their current disarray.

There is a huge elephant shuttling along with Mitchell from Jerusalem to Ramallah and everyone is ignoring it. Handshakes are the least of the problems. What could go wrong?

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:49 AM