Netanyahu dropping demand for recognition as a Jewish state?
Rick Richman had the best idea for handling the letter that Prime Minister Netanyahu is due to receive from 'moderate' 'Palestinian' President The only authorized Israeli construction is in existing settlements that will be part of Israel in any conceivable peace agreement, pursuant to the understanding reached a decade ago with the U.S. that a “settlement freeze” meant no new settlements and no expansion of the boundaries of existing ones – what Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called the “Google Earth Test” – not construction within established settlements. In her recent memoir, Rice confirmed both the informal understanding and Israeli compliance with it throughout the Bush administration.But Prime Minister Netanyahu may have decided to make yet another concession to Abu Bluff, a concession that will be pocketed as the next concession is sought. But this one would be a big one. According to YNet, Netanyahu is on the verge of saying that he will leave recognition of Israel as a Jewish state to the end of the 'peace process.'
Not only has the Netanyahu government adhered to that understanding; it implemented an unprecedented ten-month construction freeze, which predictably produced no Palestinian response other than a demand in the tenth month that it be continued.
Back when he was he was actually in office, Abbas rejected the offer by Israeli Prime Minister Olmert of a Palestinian state on land equivalent to 100 percent of the West Bank with a capital in Jerusalem. He is a Potemkin president, making “demands” for Israeli steps he knows are neither required nor realistic, still refusing to recognize a Jewish state, or defensible borders, or an end-of-claims agreement, still unwilling to tell his people, in Arabic, what is required for a Palestinian state.
Instead of delivering a letter, he should make his Bir Zeit speech.
Government officials familiar with the document told Ynet Wednesday night it would not include a demand for Palestinian recognition of Israel as a Jewish state.And Abu Bluff will pocket the concession on the 'Jewish state' question and continue to demand that Israel first concede that the 1967 borders will be the borders of 'Palestine' and that Israel stop building in the 'occupied territories, including east Jerusalem.' What could go wrong?
In the document, Israel will also refer to its demand to maintain control over the Jordan Valley and state that any future Palestinian state must be demilitarized.
Netanyahu has repeatedly demanded that the Palestinian Authority, and particularly its leader Mahmoud Abbas, recognize Israel as the state of the Jewish people as a precondition to the peace talks, just as the premier recognizes the need to establish a Palestinian state.
Senior officials said this demand would not appear in the new missive, adding that the demand will be made only towards the conclusion of the peace negotiations with the PA.
"We are not entering talks with preconditions. They want us to commit to a withdrawal to the pre-1967 borders. This is a precondition, and we oppose such conditions. Therefore, we will not demand Palestinian recognition of Israel as a Jewish state prior to the resumption of negotiations. Now we need to sit down and talk," one Israeli official said.
Labels: Abu Mazen, Binyamin Netanyahu, Middle East peace process
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:47 PM
4 Comments:
In a very pragmatic way it simply doesn't matter. Let the 'talks' proceed until the Arabs walk out as they always do. Obama will blame Israel anyway. If I were the Israeli government I wouldn't bother sending a high level representative, just a functionary to make a presence, take notes, that sort of thing. Give it a week or two then Abu Grenade will stomp out.
Hi Carl.
Honestly i don't think these talks matter at all.
As soon as Obama gets his 'flexible second term' they will go again for palestinian statehood and this time he won't veto it.
The $770 million budgetted by Obama admin for future 'Arab Spring' is the sign on the wall.
Anything Netanyahu 'gives' to the Palestinians is just extra loss for Israel.
I would love to see an Israeli leader meet with Palestinian leaders and make an unprecedented offer of borders, refugees, compensation, even give them all Jerusalem! Just make sure that its believable enough to convince the Palestinian side its a real deal. Then turn around and the next day and say the deals off, we're launching a massive offensive on Hamas and Fatah and cutting off all aid. Wishful thinking I know but it would be awesome. Then Israel wouldn't have to go to these meetings anymore.
It would be weird if the invitations to Israel for the latest round of useless peace talks and the invitations to Hamas for their latest round of useless reconciliation talks were to cross in the mail. Barak would probably end up inveigling a position as Deputy Prime MInister of the Ḥarakat al-Muqāwamah al-ʾIslāmiyyah governing coalition out of sheer force of habit.
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