5 Myths of Palestinian Unity
April 28, 2011 9:33 by Pesach Benson
Hamas and Fatah finally reconciled with a national unity deal bringing Hamas into the government. The deal they inked calls for an interim government of technocrats until presidential and legislative elections take place within a year.
The tea leaves were there to be read. A month ago, Khaled Abu Toameh noted that Mahmoud Abbas’s unity efforts “designed to send a message to the Americans and Europeans that unless they step up pressure on Israel he will have to join forces with Hamas.”
Abbas also said he was willing to give up US aid for Palestinian unity. Partnering up with Hamas didn’t happen out of nowhere, and the PA chairman clearly knows the risks he’s taking.
Here are a five media myths to beware.
Myth: Hamas is pragmatic about peace.
Fact: Hamas still wants to destroy Israel. It has always defied calls to renounce violence, recognize Israel’s right to exist, and honor past negotiating agreements. The Hamas charter remains unchanged.
Myth: Ruling Gaza has moderated Hamas.
Fact: Quite the opposite. Hamas is emboldened, imposing Islamic law, smuggling sophisticated weapons, and watching the Muslim Brotherhood’s gains in Egypt. No goodwill gestures for Gilad Shalit from a new and improved PA are on the horizon. Need I go on?
Myth: Palestinian unity paves the way for UN recognition of Palestinian statehood.
Fact: It remains to be seen how durable this unity will really be. The two sides will bury their squabbles till September, but all bets are off afterwards. Remember, Hamas and Fatah already reconciled in 2007, only to see Hamas take over Gaza as Fatah supporters like Mohammed Sweirki ?were literally thrown off the rooftops. And both sides have other calculations. Fatah lost its biggest patron, Hosni Mubarak, while Hamas faces losing Bashar Assad. Now, they need each other, for better or for worse.
Myth: Abbas is displaying real statesmanship.
Fact: Salam Fayyad’s state-building efforts were the PA’s main source of credibility in the West. The closer we get to September, the more the PA needs to tout Fayyad’s program. Instead, Abbas is throwing Fayyadism under the bus. That’s stupidity, not statesmanship.
Myth: Israel must prove its willingness to make peace by negotiating with a unified Palestinian government.
Fact: What’s to negotiate when the other side wants to destroy you?
5 Mythen zur palästinensischen Einheit « Medien BackSpin
3:08 pm
Apr 28, 2011
[...] HonestReporting Media BackSpin, 28. April 2011 [...]
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Josephine Bacon
5:32 pm
Apr 28, 2011
Yes, this is a new ploy to put pressure on Israel. Don’t forget if there is one thing that the Palestinians must avoid at any price it is peace! Successive American and European leaders have failed to grasp the fact that the “peace process” is not like any other peace process between two hostile nations. If there were “peace” the Arab nations, and especially Hamas and Fatah, would have lost the Israeli whipping-boy, the scapegoat to explain away all their ills, their ignorance, backwardness, theocracies, autocracies, etc. etc. They cannot afford peace!
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Dan
5:43 pm
Apr 28, 2011
Sounds like a Hudna to me.
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Henry Federman
5:49 pm
Apr 28, 2011
Israel should cut all connections with the Palestinians,be it food,water,communications,banking,no connections between the west bank and Gaza,let them communicate through Egypt or Jordan. Let the Arab countries support them or the EU.Let them see how easy it is without Israel support. Israel can play the same game,Close all borders with the west bank.Nobody gets in or out. And if they start anything,annex them.
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jacob t. chachkes, m.d.
5:51 pm
Apr 28, 2011
Please establish a ‘petition’ for ALL the press reminding them that:
1\Hamas & AND the PA\PLO are committed to eliminating Israel,
2\ that a state of war still exists between the PLO\PA [only a cease fire still exists] and Israel
3\that most Arab states and soon Egypt and Jordan will be committed to eliminating Israel.
There can be NO repeat NO peace until Israel is recognized in a formal way [not only operationally as with the PA] and SECURE security can be established. Of course, Israel will have to continue to spend fortunes on continued high tech arms to be secure, with ANY recognition being annulled at the whim of any of the other signers [see Egypt].
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J Draiman
5:58 pm
Apr 28, 2011
If you look at history objectively, you will see the delusional public/nations who believe the Arabs want peace. Peace is not in their vocabulary.
All they know is dictatorship abuse its people and terrorize the world. They call non-Moslem infidel and must be eliminated.
If they truly want peace with Israel – It will benefit all parties involved, you would take Israeli technology and know how combine it with Arab labor and resources and within 10 years you would have one of the most flourishing economies in the world. But the world at large is not interested in that peace; it will compete successfully in world markets.
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Andrés TOBIAS
6:30 pm
Apr 28, 2011
There is probably a connection between the revolution wave in Northern Africa and the sudden “reconciliation” between Hamas and Fatah. Other Arab countries that can afford it have simply raised salaries and subsidies to their citizens in order to try to keep them calm and away from democratic temptations. In the case of the Palestinian leaders, the only thing they could probably offer as a means of distraction was a “reconciliation” between the two factions.
They Palestinians authorities have not delivered peace, democracy and prosperity to their citizens; they have not met the expectations of the international community, and they have been unable to guarantee stable peace with Israel. Palestinian citizens are not stupid, and they no longer believe that the origin of all their misery is originated in Israel: they start looking at and blaming on their own leaders, and that’s what this “reconciliation” is trying to avoid.
And if such “reconciliation” ever succeeds, it will be the agenda of Hamas rather than that of Fatah that will likely prevail…
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Hohler Jubel « FREE IRAN NOW!
6:38 pm
Apr 28, 2011
[...] es koennte durchaus auch sein, dass dieses Agreement sich als Rohrkrepierer erweist, wie seine Vorgaenger auch. Veröffentlicht in Hintergrund. Kommentar schreiben » [...]
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nursecrd
7:13 pm
Apr 28, 2011
The article hits the issue right on the head. Fatah and Hamas have some big egos that are in power and neither will back down to make this work. With Egypt becoming Islamist or at least heading in that direction and Syria having internal strife, which is probably far worse than the world knows, Fatah and Hamas will be partially destabilized and that could lead to a collapse of any agreement between them.
With the Egyptian border being more porous, Hamas will probably start something sooner rather than later and I pray that the Israeli response will be nothing less than devastating. The media will report how terrible the Israelis have been but they do that even if the Israelis are sleeping.
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Menachem Chazan
8:54 pm
Apr 28, 2011
My perspective on this development is as follows.
Both the Palestinians and the Israelis, for the last 63 years, have been the victims of the Despots’ agenda aimed at perpetuating their regimes through the elimination of encroaching Democracy as exemplified by Israel.
The Saudis, from the start, decreed that the elimination of Democracy from the Middle East must take precedence over any consideration of Palestinian State.
The Fatah’s agreement to form a coalition with Hamas results from the Despots’ (Saudi &
Iran’s) pressures aimed at ensuring the continuation of the Palestinians’ rejection of Israel’s right of existence and recognition.
Peace will only come from the US and European allies making the Despots “an offer they
cannot refuse” i.e. the cessation of all Terrorist Activities (and their ongoing financing) and cessation of their financial support for the teaching (in the madrasah) and preaching (in the Mosques) of “Hatred of the Democratic Western Culturesl” and the instilling of Sharia Law throughout the world or – face the “Universalization” of the Despots’s oil
fields that were financed, cultivated, exploited and gifted to them by their Western Allies.
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Stephan
9:26 pm
Apr 28, 2011
The Independent (UK) Newspaper has used the occasion to clarify their position:
“East Jerusalem, the capital of any future Palestinian state according to international law, and pre-1948 Palestine remain under Israeli occupation.” “…the fact that the State of Israel is based on wiping Palestine off the map”. Written as a blog but listed on the front page of the newspaper in the “World” section.
The cat is out of the sack. It’s about the annihilation of Israel.
http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/04/28/a-?welcome-?reconciliation/
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Okey
11:06 pm
Apr 28, 2011
The PLO, now known as the “Palestinian Authority”, ALSO wants to destroy Israel. It has never conclusively rescinded its “Palestinian National Covenant”, which calls for the annihilation of Israel. Hamas and the PA are two faces of the same coin.
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Henry Federman
3:20 am
Apr 29, 2011
I see that a few people did not like my comments about cutting off all connections to the PA,if it was the other way around they would not hesitate one minute to kill Israel,remember 1948 they did not wait for Israel to be born when they invaded it. Hamas will not recognize Israel no matter what,if they could kill all 7 millions of Israelis they would not think twice about it.The IDF just released an order that they are cutting all relations with the PA no more security between the IDF and the PA. If Israel does not take strong measures against them,they will be finished.Don’t be so good hearted towards your enemy,they certainly won’t
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PAthena
5:51 am
Apr 29, 2011
I urge you not to call Arabs “Palestinians.” “Palestinian” meant “Jew” and “Palestine” the “Land of the Jews” or “the Holy Land” from the time the Roman Emperor Hadrian, after defeating the last Jewish rebellion under Bar Kochba in 135 A.D., changed the name of “Judea” to “Palestina” to eradicate all memory of Judea and Jews (he also outlawed Judaism). After World War I, Great Britain was given the “Palestine Mandate” as the “homeland of the Jews.”
In 1964, the Jew haters Gamal Nasser of Egypt and the Soviet Union in Cairo invented the “Palestine Liberation Organization,” with all the phony history and propaganda associated with it. The only reason for the Arab attack on Israel are religious, the Arabs being Mohammedans. They do not deserve yet another state carved out of Judea and Samaria.
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NuritG
8:37 am
Apr 29, 2011
I cannot wait for them to begin killing each other. They have done it before, they will do it again. But in the meantime, until the first fight begins, Israel must make sure that when Fatah runs away, again, from Hamas’s killing field and seeks to hide, this time, they are not welcome in Judea and Samaria, NOW under Israel’s real occupation, as part of the Jewish State of Israel sovereignty
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Stephan
8:56 am
Apr 29, 2011
Somebody who “cannot wait for them to begin killing each other” is as monstrous a person as the fundamentalists and blood craving monsters from Hamas. Shame on you! If this is the basis of Judea and Samaria as part of the Jewish State of Israel sovereignty, which would certainly involve deportations if the tipping of the demography against jewish citizen in the expanded Israel is to be prevented, then I will not want to have to do anything with it! One type of lunacy and inhumanity does not justify the opposite type of lunacy and inhumanity (Hitler versus Stalin comes to mind).
Hot debate. What do you think?
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nursecrd
12:00 pm
Apr 29, 2011
Stephen,
Israel and the Jews have rolled over and played too many times in an effort to get peace with the Arabs. These crazy fundamentalists have been poisoned beyond belief and are the “neo-Nazis” of today. They will attack any Jew anywhere. But when confronted with overwhelming force and destruction, they whimper like some babies and the media buys their program.
I am a child of Holocaust survivors and I believe in “Never Again”. If it takes overwhelming force and destruction to bring about peace then so be it. I would prefer it otherwise but playing nice with these crazy people will just get you killed.
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Josh Basson
9:46 am
Apr 29, 2011
ABBAS’S DECISION TO RECONCILE WITH HAMAS TO SHOW UNITY FOR A FUTURE PALESTINIAN STATE IS A SHAM. IT WILL NOT LAST, BUT IS DESIGNED TO MISLEAD THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IN GIVING THEM FINANCIAL AID.
IN VIEW OF THE EXISTENTIAL THREAT ISRAEL FACES, A NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT IS NO LONGER THE WAY TO ATTAIN AN ENDURING PEACE ESPECIALLY SINCE THE PALESTIAN ARABS DO NOT WISH TO NEGOTIATE IN GOOD FAITH WITH THE ISRAELIS.
ISRAEL SHOILD NOT BE PRESSURED TO MAKE ANY MORE ONE-SIDED CONCESSIONS AGAINST HER NATIONAL INTEREST AND END UP WITH INDEFENSIBLE BORDERS.
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Mike Levy
11:36 am
Apr 29, 2011
At the end of the day, the Arabs and most of the rest of the world hate both the Jews and Israel. In their eyes there is no distiction betwen the two.
We, as Jews have got to learn to trust absolutely no-one, regarding our (the Jews) future.It has been proven throughout history. The world uses the Jews to their own advantage when it (the world) needs them but after a very short while, they (the world) will drop us without any compunction. Israel and the Jews must persue everything in its own interest as, no matter what we, the Jews or and Israel decide or do, the world will still condemn us as there is an inculcated hate against anything Jewish.
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Tony
12:43 pm
Apr 29, 2011
Close all Borders Cut off Water and Electricity Supplies, Hold Back the Taxes Israel collects for the “Palestinians”,NO NEGOTIATIONS with “them” until GUILAD SHALIT IS FREED
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Israel should have NOTHING more to do with Gaza,, Since Israel Left it to the “Palestinians in 2002; Strengthen the borders,and accept NOT ONE GAZAOUI Into Israel for work,OR EVEN FOR MEDICAL ATTENTION,THEN WE SHALL SEE IF THEY ARE CAPABLE OF EXISTING WITHOUT THE HANDOUTS FROM ISREAL; Until GUILAD SHALIT IS RELEASED.,,NO CONTACT WITH THE “PALESTINIANS”.
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jacob t. chachkes, m.d.
3:24 pm
Apr 29, 2011
Tell that to our government. And also tell our government how to get oil [or get along without it]; if you can out bribe the oil companies, etc.
May have to wait until the offshore gas is available. Until then, measured force and MASSIVE PR campaign to change the views of the anti-Jew world. The UK is a prime example of the anti Jew position. The encouragement of ‘peace’ marches that are clearly anti Jew, anti-Israel, with lies and fabricated distortions and disinformation.
IMHO reality operates against Israel and the Jews.
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jacob t. chachkes, m.d.
4:52 pm
Apr 29, 2011
One problem that isn’t mentioned. If our money to the PA is ended, will the advocates of the PA ‘demand’ an end to our aid to Israel. If so, what then?
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Mike Lampard
11:34 pm
Apr 29, 2011
Israel should cut off all tiers with the PA, and should not be bullied by the US president regarding peace, i wonder that these western politicians have not learned the lesson of Hitler and the Munich appeasement that spectacularly failed, leading to world war II. They refuse to recognize that Muslim is at war with the west and once they obtain one ‘success’ they will go on to gain more. Western politicians are the problem encouraging evil men like Abbas in their filthy work.
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