By Ari Yashar, INN
Nabil Shaath, a senior official in the terror group PalestineLiberation Organization (PLO), claimed on Thursday that Israel was “imposing its own agenda” on the US push for peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA).
The accusation comes despite reports that US Secretary of StateJohn Kerry has been forcing Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu tosubmit to his plans, and further has been wielding the prospect of European boycotts as a threat to force Israeli concessions.
“Israel has succeeded in really persuading Kerry to change the agenda of the discussions,” accused Shaath to AFP. “Today, you will see Kerry going back and forth, discussing nothing but two issues. The two issues have never been in our agenda: the Jewishness of the state and (security in) the Jordan (Valley).”
“They (Israelis) force the agenda on (Kerry); they will not talk about anythingelse,” claimed Shaath, who in the past admitted the PA is staying in talks only to free terrorists. “It is a narrative problem that is taking most of the time of Kerry.”
The PA formally refused to recognize Israel as a Jewish state in December. On Monday, PA Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki declared “the Arab states will never recognize a Jewish state.”
Kerry’s proposed peace deal reportedly would force Israel to obligate itself through guarantees that it will not compromise the status of Israeli Arabs, and in doing so begin “earning” PA recognition of Israel as the state of the Jews.
Meanwhile on Wednesday, Netanyahu announced “any agreement must include two fundamental principles: recognition of a Jewish national state and an end to the conflict.” Netanyahu reportedly offered to lease Judea and Samaria communities from the PA in a rejected proposal.
Regarding Israel’s status as the Jewish state, Shaath quipped “you think any Palestinian leader in his right mind can ever accept this? Or is this simply instated to make it impossible for any Palestinian leader to sign a peace agreement with Israel?”
@ CuriousAmerican:
Israel prepared to recognize a Palestinian Arab State. Those Arab in exchange recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
Not reasonable enough for you CA?
Israel concludes a peace accord with these Arabs to finally end the conflict. These Arabs conclude the peace accord not as an end to the conflict but as means to continue it.
This is reasonable CA?
Israel permits 1.5 million Arabs to not only live in its state but even grants them citizenship and equal rights while not a single Israeli (read “Jew”) will be permitted to step foot in their new Arab terrorist state.
Emphatically reasonable, no CA?
Israel has retreated from red line after red line while the Arabs have not let up on any of their demands.
Reasonable CA?
So tell us what is “reasonable” CA!
They would have to compromise.
But I won’t talk about things that would be reasonable simply because its utopian.
There is not a prayer of it happening.
People on the Israeli Left who moon for “peace” are out of touch with reality and so is Kerry.
Peace is not going to happen in 2014.
What would you think are reasonable things for the PA to seek?
I am opposed to the TSS and the bi-national solution.
But frankly, there really is nothing that PA can request that would not be called extreme by someone.
So what would you consider reasonable?
The PLO is extreme in its demands.
John Kerry cannot force Israel to accept any “framework” deal when the Arabs have rejected any talk of compromise peace.
In short, the peace process is doomed and not even Kerry can revive it.