Now look whose got demands
Former 'Palestinian' chief Erekat said the demands included a complete halt to all Israeli settlement activity, 1967 borders as the basis for peace negotiations with mutually agreed land swaps, EU support for reconciliation talks "which will strengthen peace opportunities" and EU support for a Palestinian UN statehood bid in September.And you thought the 'Palestinians' had agreed to resume 'negotiations' and it was the Israelis who were holding things up....
He also wanted EU acknowledgment that a UN statehood bid does not contradict peace negotiations.
Erekat denied recent news reports that the PA would resume negotiations even if there was only a partial halt in settlement activity.
“The Palestinian stance is very clear and precisely defined: negotiations over a two-state solution based on 1967 borders and a complete halt to Israel’s settlement activities, particularly in Jerusalem."
He added that any official who said otherwise "could not be a Palestinian official."
By the way, didn't Saeb retire after the Palileaks scandal?
Bottom line: There is no way in hell that Israel will agree to these demands. Not with this government in power. But then if these were demands to which Israel would agree, there would be other demands anyway, wouldn't there?
Labels: Palestinian state RIGHT NOW syndrome, Saeb Erekat
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:15 AM
2 Comments:
Amazing chutzpah.
First, Obama reneged on Bush's understandings opposing "right of return" and protecting "settlement blocs."
Then Obama publicly and intemperately raised the public profile of Palestinian delegitimizing of the "Zionist narrative" by ordered his minions to condemn Israeli "illegitimate settlements", definitely including in East Jerusalem.
He spoke publicly and understandingly of Palestinian (and international) "impatience" with the peace process--notwithstanding Palestinian walkouts, sit-outs, and preconditions.
Finally, he started a new initiative, adopting Palestinian demands for Israel to accept the "67 border with swaps" formula; while asking for no parallel Palestinian concession on Jerusalem or right of return or recognition of Israel as a Jewish state.
This series of moral-imperative-of-now-hope-and-change-for-Palestinian tap dances was ultimately explained as the means to appease the Palestinians into dropping a September bid for UN recognition.
Except it turns out the Palestinians accept American and EU acceptance of their preconditions by doubling down. And why not? They now explain that, no, these preconditions for "negotiations" are just the appetizer for UN recognition, not an alternative.
And the EU is supposed to back them up publicly and explicitly.
And the EU is supposed to also publicly fall in line with "reconciliation talks"--formerly rationalized as a way for the "moderate" Fatah to box-in Hamas--and, ah, publicly concede the new Fatah orthodoxy that, no, Hamas needs no box, need not recognize Israel; the "reconciliation" is not a trap for Hamas but a way to galvanize a more aggressive nationally consistent Palestinian "anti-Zionist" campaign.
Statehood and compelled Israeli concessions will be given upfront to Fatah and Hamas. Further Israeli concessions on right of return, or Jewish National Fund, or its apartheid colonial existence to the west of the 1948 demarcation line will be taken up aferwards.
Maybe they can find a railroad car for the EU to sign off on the Palestinian demands, the President can't help but cave to Palestinian rejectionism leading from behind, though this may be a tad rich even for his aristocratic lack of empathy for the Jewish state.
The PA acts like its the only side in the world with demands.
Israel is certainly not going to accept those preconditions. Let's say Israel met them. There would certainly be more.
And any talks that would be launched would certainly be headed for failure.
In other words, the PA wants Israel to pay the price for its breaking its commitment to negotiate in good faith the differences that exist between it and the Jewish State - and it was the PA that decided to go to the UN instead of making peace with Israel.
Those demands guarantee no talks are going to happen this year.
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