Palestinians May Formally Abandon Peace Process.
This is worrying:
With PA President Mahmoud Abbas poised to resign, Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) legislators are reportedly set to discuss dissolving the Palestinian Authority entirely, ending the 1993 peace process and the limited self governance enjoyed by the PA in portions of the West Bank. The move would have enormous ramifications, but with Israel having repeatedly threatened to abandon the peace process and the US having backed off all of its demands regarding Israel’s settlements, it underscores how little hope the PLO has for the diplomatic process.I think the Palestinians will simply be playing into Netanyahu's hands should they pursue such a course of action. This will enable him to portray Israel as "seeking a partner for peace" and place the Palestinians as the obstructionists to peace.
I understand Palestinian frustration at the way the Obama administration have wilted in front of Israeli intransigence, and can fully understand their anger at Clinton's insistence that they should negotiate whilst the Israelis continue to steal their land from all around them, but they really have to think about how this will play out in the long run.
Netanyahu is doing what we all expected him to do. What is needed here is pressure from the Obama administration on Israel to bring her to the table.
The pressure Clinton tried to exert on the Palestinians was unfair and ill thought out, but I hardly think it justifies the Palestinians picking up their ball and going home.
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2 comments:
I think this may be a better long term solution than pursuing the peace process.
Israel clearly has no intention of abiding by a peace agreement, and are willing to kill indiscriminately. Obama has shown no real backbone in forcing their hand. Continuing the peace process is a vote to continue living in a concentration camp.
A serious threat to back out of peace talks may make a difference. If not, then what happens? Genocide would be the end of Israel. Without their appearance of being the persecuted rather than the persecutors, they lose everything. Conquering Palestine would create a one state solution, which Israel loses in demographics. The international community stepping in against Palestine would be far better than their current oppressors.
SP, I agree that Israel has no intention at the moment of pursuing peace, but surely the Palestinians stepping away from the process will make them, in many people's eyes, appear as the people responsible for the breakdown of possible talks?
As the people against peace?
My solution would be that Obama grows a spine and starts to put real pressure on Netanyahu to come to the table.
Continuing the peace process is a vote to continue living in a concentration camp.
But isn't that the Palestinian position whether they pursue peace or not? And, by stepping away from the process, won't some people - stupid people I admit - argue that this was a choice the Palestinians made because they don't want peace?
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