Israel Matzav: You've got to be kidding: Jerusalem actually expected a positive response to 'gestures' to 'Palestinians'

Friday, August 03, 2012

You've got to be kidding: Jerusalem actually expected a positive response to 'gestures' to 'Palestinians'

I often quote the quip attributed to Albert Einstein that insanity means doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. By that definition, Israel's government really is insane.

JPost is reporting that the government is 'angry' at the Palestinian Authority's failure to respond positively to recent 'goodwill gestures.' You have got to be kidding. The only 'goodwill gesture' we could make to which the 'Palestinians' would respond positively is mass suicide, God forbid. They have no interest in making peace with us, and will not respond positively to anything we do.

Israel agreed to start negotiations with Palestinians and British Gas about getting the gas field “up and running,” the official said.

The field – with an estimated 30,000,000,000 cu.m.of gas – was discovered some 12 years ago opposite Gaza. The gas, when extracted, is expected to be an important source of revenue for the PA, which is facing a harsh financial crisis.

Other goodwill steps the official cited Israel has taken recently included the signing this week of an economic accord with the PA aimed at enhancing trade and clamping town on tax evasion; the decision on the eve of Ramadan two weeks ago to advance the PA some NIS 180 million of tax money so salaries could be paid; and the transfer in May to the PA of the bodies of some 90 terrorists.

In addition, the government’s economic cabinet recently decided to increase the number of Palestinian construction workers allowed to work in the country by some 5,000.

It is laughable - sadly laughable - that our government still believes that helping the 'Palestinian economy' through anything other than donating to the 'Palestinian Authority' is something that would be of any interest to the 'Palestinians.' We learned a long time ago that the 'Palestinians' have no interest in improving their economic situation via anything other than unrestricted international donations.

But perhaps the strangest thing of all is this:

The Palestinian failure to respond positively to a series of recent Israeli goodwill gestures shows that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is “unable to enter into negotiations that will require concessions,” according to an internal government memo made known to The Jerusalem Post.

You mean the government didn't figure out until now that Abu Bluff is “unable to enter into negotiations that will require concessions”? Where have they been since 2004? Abu Bluff is unable to enter into those negotiations, and he is also unwilling to enter into negotiations like that.

It's time - at long last - to stop fooling ourselves. There is no partner for peace. It's time to make other plans. Long past time.

Labels: gestures, Middle East peace process, Palestinian Authority, two-state solution