Your Move, Mr. Abbas -Charles Krauthammer
The Obama administration is to be commended for structuring the latest rounds of Middle East talks correctly. Finally, we're leaving behind interim agreements, of which the most lamentable were the Oslo accords of 1993.
[In the past] Israel made concrete concessions - bringing in Yasser Arafat to run the West Bank and Gaza - in return for which Israel received growing threats, continuous incitement and finally a full-scale terror war that killed more than a thousand innocent Israelis.
As noted by U.S. peace negotiator George Mitchell, what's under discussion [now] is a final settlement of the conflict. Meaning, no further claims. Conflict over.
The Obama administration is to be commended for structuring the latest rounds of Middle East talks correctly. Finally, we're leaving behind interim agreements, of which the most lamentable were the Oslo accords of 1993.
[In the past] Israel made concrete concessions - bringing in Yasser Arafat to run the West Bank and Gaza - in return for which Israel received growing threats, continuous incitement and finally a full-scale terror war that killed more than a thousand innocent Israelis.
As noted by U.S. peace negotiator George Mitchell, what's under discussion [now] is a final settlement of the conflict. Meaning, no further claims. Conflict over.
[There is] a unique phenomenon in Israel -- a broad-based national consensus for giving nearly all the West Bank in return for peace. The moment is doubly unique because the only man who can deliver such a deal is Likud Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu -- and he is prepared to do it.
The obstacle today, as always, is Palestinian refusal to accept a Jewish state. That has been the core issue of the conflict from 1947 through Camp David 2000, when Arafat rejected Israel's extraordinarily generous peace offer, made no counteroffer and started a terror war (the Second Intifada) two months later.
What will Abbas do? [H]e will exploit President Obama's tactical blunder, the settlement freeze imposed on Israel despite the fact that Israeli-Palestinian negotiations had gone on without such a precondition for 16 years prior. Abbas will walk out if the freeze is not renewed on Sept. 26. You don't need to be prescient to see that coming. Abbas has already announced that is what he'll do.
That would solve all of Abbas's problems. It would obviate signing on to a final settlement, fend off Hamas and make Israel the fall guy.
Why not walk out? The world, which already condemns Israel even for self-defense, will be only too eager to blame Israel for the negotiation breakdown. And there is growing pressure to create a Palestinian state even if the talks fail -- i.e., even if the Palestinians make no concessions at all. So why make any?
The talks are well designed. Unfortunately, Abbas knows perfectly well how to undermine them.
(Washington Post)
How the PA and Hamas View Peace Talks -Boaz Ganor
The Hamas leadership is examining Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad's activities in building the infrastructure for a Palestinian state and is preparing its forces in the West Bank for the time when they will take [over the West Bank], and will pluck the infrastructure already prepared by the PA, like a ripe fruit.
[I]f the process that started in Washington appears to be bearing fruit, then the Hamas leadership will renew the waves of suicide attacks inside Israel.
[T]he White House is in a hurry. President Obama wants to produce a political achievement, if possible, before the elections for Congress in November 2010. He is therefore coercing the sides to conduct direct negotiations. Israel and the Palestinians are obeying. Their only desire is to gain enough points to serve them in the propaganda campaign that will follow the collapse of the talks.
(Globes)
*
What will Abbas do? [H]e will exploit President Obama's tactical blunder, the settlement freeze imposed on Israel despite the fact that Israeli-Palestinian negotiations had gone on without such a precondition for 16 years prior. Abbas will walk out if the freeze is not renewed on Sept. 26. You don't need to be prescient to see that coming. Abbas has already announced that is what he'll do.
That would solve all of Abbas's problems. It would obviate signing on to a final settlement, fend off Hamas and make Israel the fall guy.
Why not walk out? The world, which already condemns Israel even for self-defense, will be only too eager to blame Israel for the negotiation breakdown. And there is growing pressure to create a Palestinian state even if the talks fail -- i.e., even if the Palestinians make no concessions at all. So why make any?
The talks are well designed. Unfortunately, Abbas knows perfectly well how to undermine them.
(Washington Post)
How the PA and Hamas View Peace Talks -Boaz Ganor
The Hamas leadership is examining Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad's activities in building the infrastructure for a Palestinian state and is preparing its forces in the West Bank for the time when they will take [over the West Bank], and will pluck the infrastructure already prepared by the PA, like a ripe fruit.
[I]f the process that started in Washington appears to be bearing fruit, then the Hamas leadership will renew the waves of suicide attacks inside Israel.
[T]he White House is in a hurry. President Obama wants to produce a political achievement, if possible, before the elections for Congress in November 2010. He is therefore coercing the sides to conduct direct negotiations. Israel and the Palestinians are obeying. Their only desire is to gain enough points to serve them in the propaganda campaign that will follow the collapse of the talks.
(Globes)
*
No comments:
Post a Comment