The Palestinians have forfeited any claim in equity they may have had to a independent state without Israeli military oversight. There were so many opportunities for them to have this state but they made it clear they were not interested in peaceful coexistence. Being unable to defeat Israel militarily even with the combined force of countless Arab armies, they tried to accomplish their nefarious goal through the back door by way of the so-called non existent right of return. Somehow they firmly believe that 4th generation of descendants of Palestinian refugees should be allowed to live in Israel the goal being to destroy Israel from the inside. Arafat never truly wanted peace. Just ask Bill Clinton.
The uncomfortable truth for activists is that even if a Palestinian state is created or internationally recognized, no matter what conditions have been agreed to, rockets will rain down on Israel within hours.
I think it's simpler than that. I think most of the people screaming "Ceasefire!" or "Free Palestine" or "From the River to the Sea!" or any of the other slogans like "Globalize the Intifada!" actually *know* that what they're calling for is the massacre of all Jews in Israel (and abroad) and the eradication of the state, and they think that's not such a bad idea, and they're grateful that the poor, victimized, downtrodden, innocent Palestinian freedom fighters are doing their dirty work for them in getting rid of The Jew who controls the world and is the source of all evil. I used to think these protesters didn't know that they were calling for the eradication of Jews worldwide, but they've been told it so many times that now I don't think they're so naive. I do think, though, that they don't know that they're also calling for the eradication of Christians worldwide and that when the globalized Intifada really gets going, they're going to be shocked.
I'm getting pretty old now, 63 years old to be precise. I remember very well in my youth thinking that Peace was almost at hand . . . when Israel won in 67, then again in '72 before the Palestinian's slaughtered the Israeli athletes, and then in 73, only to have my hopes dashed by the Yom Kippur war - then when Begin and Sadat shook hands for peace in '79, when Arafat died in '04 when Israel left Gaza in '05, and on and on and on. Now I realize that Abba Eban's 1973 quip that the Arabs never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity remains as true today as it was when he said it. Peace will never come unless the Arabs, and specifically the Palestinians, stop their suicidal quest to genocide the Israelis. Not a moment before that.
This is the clearest and the most lucid explanation I have heard on the matter. There is only one matter of nomenclature that keeps bothering me - the term "Palestine". This is a Roman-invented name that has come to refer to the entire area under the British mandate, i.e. the current State of Israel + Gaza + West Bank (or more accurately Judea and Samaria). So I believe that Hamas, Hezbollah and the misguided youth in the West (I refer to the Caucasian university students that have missed their high-school history and geography classes) will need to come up with another name for what that other State would be - the Arab Republic of the Palestine perhaps?
I have these "if i were god" moments. The god of ages past that could move mountains and create fire out of nothing to scorch the earth. One moment is one that eliminates all the Arabs from the area and allows the Jews to live peace and another is where all the Jews are vanished to allow the Arabs to live happy lives. Another one is where the Arabs and Jews embrace each other and profess eternal love. But there is no such god. Or none have revealed themselves up to now.
As an Israeli I appreciate this article and agree with it, however, you cannot blame only the Palestinians for the death of the Oslo accords. The assassination of Rabin and the following takeover of Israel’s governments are also important factors. Israel has not done enough to win over the hearts and minds of the Palestinians. There is constant building of Israeli settlements in the area designated for the Palestinian state rendering the establishment of such a state impossible. And sadly, really, it breaks my heart, but nobody listens to Palestinians unless they are violent. These fundamentalist Islamic influences don’t care about the Palestinians, they are just exploiting them for their own anti semitic agendas. Also, the economic development of the Palestinian Territories was sabotaged by various Israeli policies making the Palestinians economically dependant on Israel, which is very convent for Israel. Israel did nothing to impose change in the Palestinian educational system, which was a huge mistake and I suspect some if Israel’s leaders prefer hostile Palestinians to peaceful ones because it justifies the suffocating control Israel has over Palestinian life. These issues snd others related to them must be addressed if peace is to be achieved
You really do write the most astonishing drivel, you know that? I can understand why some Israelis won't allow a Palestinian state, but to pretend that Palestinians derailed Oslo is at best sheer ignorance and at worst a preposterous falsehood. Oslo did not fail. Oslo was a resounding success. Israel and America set out to shaft the Palestinians and shaft them they did proper. Oslo was designed to give Israel the wiggle room to continue building illegal settlements - to continue creating realities on the ground. And that is exactly what they have been busy doing. Israel gets a Vicy government to control the Palestinians in the West Bank, and it also gets to build settlements wherever it likes, and Clinton, Israel and the West get to blame the Palestinians.
Although there is truth in what you write, Arafat did refused to sign the final accords as offered by Ulmert when he was prime minister before Natanyhu
Arafat had no choice. When people go through the byzantine details in the accords they realise that Oslo was never meant to give the Palestinians a state. Arafat had to reject it - and history has proved him right.
Have you read the Oslo agreement? Area A, B, C. They have control, but not entirely. We have control, but you can look. You have no control but we can kill you. You have control but we can take your land. Go and learn your history.
As I recall, the Oslo agreement was an interim agreement that was designed to build confidence on both sides that the other side would adhere to the terms of the agreement. Instead of confidence building we got the first and then the second intifada. It was impossible for the two state solution to progress under these circumstances.
The Palestinians have forfeited any claim in equity they may have had to a independent state without Israeli military oversight. There were so many opportunities for them to have this state but they made it clear they were not interested in peaceful coexistence. Being unable to defeat Israel militarily even with the combined force of countless Arab armies, they tried to accomplish their nefarious goal through the back door by way of the so-called non existent right of return. Somehow they firmly believe that 4th generation of descendants of Palestinian refugees should be allowed to live in Israel the goal being to destroy Israel from the inside. Arafat never truly wanted peace. Just ask Bill Clinton.
As an Israeli, I thank you for your truthful words.
Fantastic. 👏👏👏👏
The uncomfortable truth for activists is that even if a Palestinian state is created or internationally recognized, no matter what conditions have been agreed to, rockets will rain down on Israel within hours.
I think it's simpler than that. I think most of the people screaming "Ceasefire!" or "Free Palestine" or "From the River to the Sea!" or any of the other slogans like "Globalize the Intifada!" actually *know* that what they're calling for is the massacre of all Jews in Israel (and abroad) and the eradication of the state, and they think that's not such a bad idea, and they're grateful that the poor, victimized, downtrodden, innocent Palestinian freedom fighters are doing their dirty work for them in getting rid of The Jew who controls the world and is the source of all evil. I used to think these protesters didn't know that they were calling for the eradication of Jews worldwide, but they've been told it so many times that now I don't think they're so naive. I do think, though, that they don't know that they're also calling for the eradication of Christians worldwide and that when the globalized Intifada really gets going, they're going to be shocked.
I'm getting pretty old now, 63 years old to be precise. I remember very well in my youth thinking that Peace was almost at hand . . . when Israel won in 67, then again in '72 before the Palestinian's slaughtered the Israeli athletes, and then in 73, only to have my hopes dashed by the Yom Kippur war - then when Begin and Sadat shook hands for peace in '79, when Arafat died in '04 when Israel left Gaza in '05, and on and on and on. Now I realize that Abba Eban's 1973 quip that the Arabs never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity remains as true today as it was when he said it. Peace will never come unless the Arabs, and specifically the Palestinians, stop their suicidal quest to genocide the Israelis. Not a moment before that.
This is the clearest and the most lucid explanation I have heard on the matter. There is only one matter of nomenclature that keeps bothering me - the term "Palestine". This is a Roman-invented name that has come to refer to the entire area under the British mandate, i.e. the current State of Israel + Gaza + West Bank (or more accurately Judea and Samaria). So I believe that Hamas, Hezbollah and the misguided youth in the West (I refer to the Caucasian university students that have missed their high-school history and geography classes) will need to come up with another name for what that other State would be - the Arab Republic of the Palestine perhaps?
I have these "if i were god" moments. The god of ages past that could move mountains and create fire out of nothing to scorch the earth. One moment is one that eliminates all the Arabs from the area and allows the Jews to live peace and another is where all the Jews are vanished to allow the Arabs to live happy lives. Another one is where the Arabs and Jews embrace each other and profess eternal love. But there is no such god. Or none have revealed themselves up to now.
As an Israeli I appreciate this article and agree with it, however, you cannot blame only the Palestinians for the death of the Oslo accords. The assassination of Rabin and the following takeover of Israel’s governments are also important factors. Israel has not done enough to win over the hearts and minds of the Palestinians. There is constant building of Israeli settlements in the area designated for the Palestinian state rendering the establishment of such a state impossible. And sadly, really, it breaks my heart, but nobody listens to Palestinians unless they are violent. These fundamentalist Islamic influences don’t care about the Palestinians, they are just exploiting them for their own anti semitic agendas. Also, the economic development of the Palestinian Territories was sabotaged by various Israeli policies making the Palestinians economically dependant on Israel, which is very convent for Israel. Israel did nothing to impose change in the Palestinian educational system, which was a huge mistake and I suspect some if Israel’s leaders prefer hostile Palestinians to peaceful ones because it justifies the suffocating control Israel has over Palestinian life. These issues snd others related to them must be addressed if peace is to be achieved
You really do write the most astonishing drivel, you know that? I can understand why some Israelis won't allow a Palestinian state, but to pretend that Palestinians derailed Oslo is at best sheer ignorance and at worst a preposterous falsehood. Oslo did not fail. Oslo was a resounding success. Israel and America set out to shaft the Palestinians and shaft them they did proper. Oslo was designed to give Israel the wiggle room to continue building illegal settlements - to continue creating realities on the ground. And that is exactly what they have been busy doing. Israel gets a Vicy government to control the Palestinians in the West Bank, and it also gets to build settlements wherever it likes, and Clinton, Israel and the West get to blame the Palestinians.
Although there is truth in what you write, Arafat did refused to sign the final accords as offered by Ulmert when he was prime minister before Natanyhu
Arafat had no choice. When people go through the byzantine details in the accords they realise that Oslo was never meant to give the Palestinians a state. Arafat had to reject it - and history has proved him right.
Hahahaha. Yes, you seem like a real historian. You start with the conclusion and work backward. Anyway, thanks for eading.
Have you read the Oslo agreement? Area A, B, C. They have control, but not entirely. We have control, but you can look. You have no control but we can kill you. You have control but we can take your land. Go and learn your history.
As I recall, the Oslo agreement was an interim agreement that was designed to build confidence on both sides that the other side would adhere to the terms of the agreement. Instead of confidence building we got the first and then the second intifada. It was impossible for the two state solution to progress under these circumstances.
The first intifada predates Oslo. The second intifada was sparked by Ariel Sharon’s provocative visit to al-Aqsa. So much for confidence building.