Israel Matzav

PLO Arabic announcement of talks did not mention 'two-state solution'

'Palestinians' saying one thing in English for international consumption and another in Arabic for their own 'people' is unfortunately a common occurrence. Still, this is about as blatant as it gets, and it's largely gone unnoticed.

While the English language announcement of the PLO’s decision sets “the emergence of an independent, democratic and viable Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel” as the outcome of the negotiations, the Arabic-language version makes no mention of the two-state solution. Instead it notes the Palestinian readiness to resume the final-status talks, adding a few new preconditions, notably the rejection of Israel’s annexation of east Jerusalem.

And just there, no doubt, lies the heart of the problem.

For while the PLO leadership, since the launch of the Oslo “peace” process in 1993, has been singing the praises of the two-state solution whenever addressing Israeli or Western audiences, it has consistently denigrated the idea to its own constituents, depicting the process as a transient arrangement required by the needs of the moment that would inexorably lead to the long-cherished goal of Israel’s demise.

In this respect there has been no fundamental distinction between Yasser Arafat and Abbas (and, for that matter, between Hamas and the PLO). For all their admittedly sharp differences in personality and political style, the two are warp and woof of the same dogmatic PLO fabric: Neither of them accepts Israel’s right to exist; both are committed to its eventual destruction.

As I said, there's quite a history of this stuff.

Read the whole thing.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:42 AM