By Jonathan S Tobin, COMMENTARY
In a ceremony broadcast live across the Middle East, the Israeli-Palestinian peace process was formally buried. The event, which formalized the unity pact between the Fatah Party and its Hamas rival, marked the formation of a new Palestinian Authority government in which both factions would share power. PA President Mahmoud Abbas will also assume the role of prime minister, ousting Salam Fayyad, the pro-peace and development technocrat who had earned the trust of the West for his efforts to build the Palestinian economy and enforce the rule of law. But Fayyad’s role in the PA is now over, as is, apparently, Abbas’s pretense that he, too, favored peace and development.
There will be those apologists for the Palestinians who will say unity was necessary for peace and even claim this means Hamas is abandoning violence. But they will be either lying or deceiving themselves. Hamas’s goal of Israel’s destruction is unchanged as is, it should be noted, that of their erstwhile Fatah enemies. By signing the pact and now making it a reality, Abbas has for all intents and purposes torn up the Oslo Peace Accords, signed with such hope on the White House Lawn in September 1993.
Oslo required the Palestinians to give up violence and dedicate themselves to peace and establishing a civil society in exchange for rule over the West Bank and Gaza and the implicit promise of independence. This PLO leader Yasir Arafat did not do. He nurtured terrorists among his own ranks even as he jealously guarded his power against rivals like Hamas. The choice for the Palestinians was clear. Their leaders could act to wipe out those who opposed peace and therefore seal a plan of coexistence with Israel or they could fail to do so and condemn both peoples to another generation or more of conflict. Arafat, who was offered an independent state in the West Bank, Gaza and a share of Jerusalem in 2000 and 2001, refused to accept it, and instead chose another round of conflict via the terrorist war of attrition known as the second intifada.
Abbas, his successor, turned down another such offer in 2008. Since then, he has refused to negotiate with Israel and has now preferred the embrace of the Islamists of Hamas to that of the West and Israel from whom he could have won independence and peace. While belief in the peace process has been the stuff of fantasy for many years, the consummation of the Fatah-Hamas marriage of convenience marks the formal burial of the idea that the Palestinians had any interest in peace with Israel.
The talk of Hamas changing from an Islamist terrorist group committed to Israel’s destruction and the murder of its Jewish population into a non-violent political group is as genuine as the similar rationalizations that were put forward in the 1990s for Arafat. Bringing Hamas into the PA government means an end to all pretense of hope for peace. There were, after all, never any real differences between the two on the ultimate objective of eliminating Israel. Fatah was no more capable of signing a peace deal that recognized the legitimacy of a Jewish state, no matter where its borders were drawn, than Hamas. The influence of the Islamists will now spread from Gaza to the West Bank, renewing the threat of terrorism from that region that Israel’s security fence had largely eliminated.
The Palestinians are counting on both the Europeans and the Obama administration to bend to their desires and keep Western aid flowing to the PA. They believe the West is so committed to its illusions about Palestinian moderation that they will flout their own laws that forbid the transfer of funds to terror groups and those governments they have infiltrated. They also hope the knee-jerk impulse to blame Israel for everything that happens in the Middle East will overwhelm common sense and create a new push for Israeli concessions to the Fatah-Hamas government.
No doubt there will be plenty of support for such a policy from so-called realists and other veteran peace processors who would compromise their own principles rather than admit they were wrong about the Palestinian desire for peace.
Obama has been the most pro-Palestinian of any American president. But his efforts to help them have been rewarded with the same contempt that more pro-Israel administrations have gotten from the PA. If Obama has a shred of common sense or dignity left, he will make it clear to the Palestinians that they have effectively cut themselves off from American aid and a path to independence. Anything else would constitute a U.S. repudiation of Oslo. If Abbas chooses peace with Hamas over peace with Israel then he must be made to understand he will pay a high price for this decision.
I’m not anybody’s ‘apologist’ (let alone, ‘groupie’).
If I were, I sure as hell wouldn’t be lame in such ‘attempts.’
FGW’s critigue may be “sourced” and “abundantly footnoted” — but apparently NOT adequately so. You cited [above] this FGW line:
I took issue with it, saying he had NOT documented the claim.
And so far, you have not disproven my assertion [repeated here] which set this off in the first place:
Prof Gil-White can’t support his bogus claim.
And neither can you, yahnkel.
If you think you can — then BRING it.
That’s an easy enough offer for you to make, Yamit — and disingenuous (that’s the polite word for it) as the day is long
— since you already know that no source I cite will EVER be adequately ‘credible’ to suit your OWN preconceived biases.
You’ve played that little game too many times for me to bite on to your hook.
You’re not honest, Yamit — you can’t be, can’t AFFORD to be — because you’ve got an axe to grind.
As does your idol, Prof Gil-White.
What’s more, I’m HARDLY the only one to have caught FGW with his pants down.
Salomon Benzimra has taken him to task as well, and has alluded to it on this website.
I don’t reverence persons.
ANY persons.
I do reverence fair play.
And I DO take seriously the injunction against bearing false witness against my neighbor.
YOU, on the other hand, have already stated — in print, on this website — that YOU have no scruple against knowingly slandering anybody who isn’t a Jew.
In effect, if he isn’t a Jew, then he ‘isn’t’ your neighbor — and as far as you’re concerned, you can therefore piss on his good name all you like, if it suits your purposes.
You’ve admitted it; it’s on the record.
So why should anybody take you seriously where such matters are concerned?
Evidence, please.
You love to make that stupid claim about Reagan & Nazis.
No docs though.
Put up or shut up.
That’s how ron feels and that’s how he expresses himself. You got a problem with that?
I stayed up all night playing poker with Tarot cards. I got a full house and four people died. (8
Rather than criticize and insult a good man with a pure heart. Why don’t you contribute something positive to any of the discussions on the various threads? I haven’t read any since you began to comment on Israpundit.
There is virtually no antisemitism in any non Muslim, non Christian Asian and African Country.
Therefore by elimination one might attribute antisemitism to the religions of Christianity and Islam and the cultures that have been influenced by those religions.
Not only are those countries free of antisemitism but Jews are highly regarded even though most have never met a Jew and there is a lot of misconceptions in their attitudes towards Jews.
Poland, since the end of WW2 has almost no Jews and most Pollacks have never met a Jew, Yet Jew hatred is alive and well in Poland and most Pollacks are still antisemitic. It’s part of their culture and Church attitudes.
The existence of the Jews and the empowerment of Jews still fly’s in the face of Christian and Muslim theology which preaches that we Jews are to be if not killed than relegated to the most servile conditions. In short we Jews have screwed up both Christian and Muslim theologies and they are not happy campers.
Your Lame attempts at being a RR apologist and neo-con groupie, are based solely on your wrong misplaced opinions not any source refutation to FGW’s critigue which is sourced and abundantly footnoted.
If you want to refute his and my opinion of the slime RR, then refute away with credible sources, not your biased inaccurate opinion.
Take your best shot with facts not your imaginary suppositions based on nothing but your apparent reverence for one who I believe deserves no reverence and absolutely no respect; at least from any Jew and especially by no Israeli.
I stand by my position that he was from a Jewish and Israeli standpoint one of the worst presidents. He wasn’t in retrospect that good for America either. He loved his German Nazis though.
Yes Lois, it can be said for all religious, etc. However this is a Jewish site and sometimes it is necessary to repeat ourselves. The message must be loud and clear.
Tell me how is it liberal American Jews continue to support the likes of Obama while he shoves Israel under the bus.
How is it the liberal American Jews continue to support a man who embraces Islam, the same Islam that wants to destroy all the Jews and Israel.
I again repeat myself, how inflamed I get when I see 95% of democratic strategist are American Jews on FOX New defending and supporting Obama. G-d must shake His head in disgust.
I am beginning to believe what Yamits said a few years ago, American Jews are dumb and are ashamed to be Jewish.
Tell me Lois what do you do or have done to stamp out anti-Semitism.
I have and continue to correct any person friend or foe who reflects anti-Semitism. I point out how wrong it is.
Yes Lois I repeat myself.
You tell me what to say that will awaken everyone before there is another Holocaust, Israel.
Sorry Lois, but not ‘all’ of it is correct.
SOME of it is the most scurrilous, putrid slander.
And if you’d read all of it as linked, you’d know that.
For example (inter alia):
Notwithstanding the words in that subtitle from Prof. Gil-White’s ongoing opus, even the article itself contains NO documentary support for the provocative assertion that Reagan or his Administration ever endorsed anything more than non-sovereign “autonomy” — the same autonomy that Begin favored — for the Palestinian Arabs of the heartland territories.
One can argue that autonomy was a myopic proposition on RR’s part.
You CANNOT, however, argue that it was a deceitful one on his part — unless you are prepared to allege the same in re Begin.
In any event, RR never signed on to any statehood plan.
What’s more it was Reagan who REVERSED the Carter State Dept’s holding that the heartland settlements were “illegal.”
He rejected that spurious notion both before and after he became President.
This is standard Yamit hyperbole.
It’s mendacious & vile for him to link Reagan with these other two slime — and YoursEverTruly (and others) have called him on it plenty of times in the past on this same website.
For example: Grinding an axe
If you care to consider the exchange betw Yamit & myself regarding elements in that piece: which exchange arose following the “High Stakes Poker” article on this site (of last year). My own numbered posts in that exchange were: 19, 21, 23, 26, 35, 41, 42, 43. In each case, of course, my remarks are in direct response to Yamit’s allegations supporting (or extending) Prof. Gil-White’s ‘findings’ — so by-all-means do read Yamit’s posts as well.
If your time is limited, it may be constructive to note that (as you can well imagine) the discussion becomes more intense & specific as the post numbers get higher. There have been subsequent exchanges between us on this same topic on this site as well; e.g., “Better Ally Than honest broker” — threads 3, 14, etc.
But Yamit is emotionally attached to his hatreds, so it’s doubtful that rational discourse is going to wean him from them.
In any case — and to return to the point of departure — it would be a mistake to overlook the fact that because of its effective “captivity” to the State Dept, the US Executive Branch generally (as distinct from Congress) can never be RELIED upon by little countries.
Invariably, Foggy Bottom tends to think BIG.
The reality is that, all other things being the same — if a little country has a real case, the Legislative Branch is virtually ALWAYS more likely to be inclined to be responsive, and dependable.
BTW, Lois: regards to the man changing clothes in the phone booth — if you catch him.
I would agree but the same can be said for all religious, racial, homophobic,sexist prejudice. You are repeating yourself in every post. Say something new for a change.
Obama will never side with Israel over the Palestinians – either the PLO or the Hamas. He is too mired in his delusion that he can bring about world peace by appeasing Arab fundamentalists; too intent, in times of crisis, on hiding behind polemic or the UN – such as when the Egyptians overthrew America’s long time ally, Mubarak; or when innocent demonstrators died in the streets of Iran, or in jails, demanding democratic reform (obviously in US interests)and the US refused to lift a finger to help them; or when the US hid behind the UN as it helped bring about the overthrow of Libya. So now, Obama is hiding behind his trumped up anger against Russia and China as an excuse to do nothing, leaving Assad to massacre his own people – and himself with a clean face.
The men are definitely separated from the boys in this world of treachery and lies.
Our challenge is to recognize the one from the other.
Batya Casper http://www.israelathebook.com
Uncle, you know I am puzzled by all of this. Israel has done nothing to warrant such treatment. In any given situation in the ME Israel is the only nation the US can justify siding with. Israel is our only true friend and trusted ally. All the Arab nations hate us. We are dumb.
Anti-Semitism is not only hate, but sick and blind.
I am just not smart enough to know differently.
Thanks for reminding us. All of it is quite correct and don’t forget that President Gerald Ford imposed sanctions on Israel and nobody objected.
I disagree: Some of us have short and revisionist memories:
“Jimmy Carter worked hard to give the terrorist PLO the dignity of a ‘government in exile,’ and then he teamed up with the Soviets to try and saddle Israel with a PLO terrorist state next door”.
“When Israel tried to defend itself from the PLO terrorists, the US forced Israel to stand back”.
“Jimmy Carter began large-scale US sponsorship of antisemitic Islamist terrorists, especially in Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia.”
In 1981 The US pushed for a PLO state in the West Bank against Israeli objections
“US voted for a resolution condemning Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights. The US then also reversed itself on the prior resolution concerning the attack on Iraq, launching a frontal diplomatic attack on Israel. The outgoing Secretary General of the UN, the Nazi Kurt Waldheim, exulted publicly over this turn of events, and added that, by the way, the West Bank and Gaza Arabs should be given their own state”
Reagan and the Nazis section: staring William Casey who Reagan appointed CIA director. Interesting read.
1982-1983 “The US rushed to protect the PLO in southern Lebanon from the Israelis”.
Because the PLO was murdering Israeli civilians, Israel invaded Lebanon, and launched a
“campaign that Israel said would wipe out the PLO as a political and military force and open the way for true peace in the Middle East.”
“The Israelis very nearly did just that. They failed, however. But not for lack of trying. Rather, what happened is that as Israeli troops got ready to deliver a knockout blow to the PLO, the US intervened to save them.”
Compared to Carter and Reagan Obama looks ordinary.
The “peace process” was a farce from the moment of that grotesque handshake on the White House lawn. On the very same day, Arafat gave an interview in Arabic, totally ignored by the Western press, in which he said, “I have given nothing,” and continued that the Arabs would destroy Israel in stages. Everything since is consistent with that goal; the various groups differ only in tactics.
As for the combination of the two terrorist groups, an American president who destroys Mubarak, our ally of 30 years, in favor of the Muslim Brotherhood will have no problem endorsing Hamas as well.
If Israel has any sense, it will point out, continually and in every forum, that the Arabs have rejected and revoked the “Oslo process” and it is done with, and reassert control and sovereignty over Judea and Samaria as quickly and firmly as possible.
SHmuel makes a very valid but overlooked point. At the heart of the “”peace”” camp there are hardcore leftists whose overriding aim is to cause “the destruction of all links of our people with our Heritage. That at any cost.” The next ring is that of the liberals. The liberals are not opposed to Jewish heritage but they are addicted to the concept of themselves as peace makers, and to sustain that fantasy that would sell out Jewish heritage in a flash. Finally, the third ring are non-political Israelis who valued the idea of peace because of its practical advantages. The pragmatic ring now clearly sees peace is not in the offing and the liberals are wavering. The hardcore left, since its agenda was never about peace, continues unaffected by the almost 20 years that Oslo has been a manifest failure and delusion.
Then it is doomed to failure, along with all that push such an agenda.
During the first Lebanon War, “Shlom Hagalil” our Division was called to service and initially we were in Lebanon. We were in “miluim” following basic training so our soldiers, including myself, were in top shape to go in.
After returning to Israel following a rotation, we were assigned to perform field security at various military airfields. Our regiment was at Mahanaim.
I was one of those that secured two AH-64’s, one of them piloted by a great Uruguayan born Israeli pilot, that recived orders to proceed to receive ordnance at Mahanaim and attack Arafat’s headquarter. Napalm.
Minutes after take off they were ordered to return and land. I was also there for the that process.
Arafat was to be spared by orders from Sharon, were all in shock.
I am convinced that was done in preparation for the eventual “peace process”.
In our history some time in the future the full scope of the sequel of betrayals that led to that fateful decision not to terminate a mortal enemy and what followed will be exposed.
The still born “peace process” had and has to this day nothing to do with peace.
And everything to do with the destruction of all links of our people with our Heritage. That at any cost.
Actually there was a ‘body,’ but it was stolen by its acolytes when it began to stink (decomposition, y’know)
— they bribed the guards, rolled away the stone, spirited the body away
and ever since then, its die-hard kool-aid drinkers keep telling us it’s to be resurrected.
(Sigh.)
Whaddayyagonnadoo?
There is no doubt, the sham will continue, Israel will be blamed, and aid will flow as usual. Favoring lower oil prices above human life, will become very costly. And i wish to be wrong.
Oslo was buried 10 minutes after the signing. Israel and the US is full of dupes.
Regrettably Tobin is dreaming in Technicolor. The ill-fated union will have the effect of sanitizing Hamas and koshering it as legitimate political body. Why if the PA is seen as such why should not Hamas not be seen that way. Even Israel was against cutting aid to the PA so this will not change anything.
The “peace process” has been an empty tomb since before 1920. There is no body to bury.