Yasser Arafat
Photo: Reuters
46 years of 'no'
Op-ed: Arafat replaced Shukeiri, and Abbas replaced Arafat, but Palestinian policy of refusal, obstinacy has remained the same
At the end of August 1967, shortly after the Six Day War, the heads of Arab states held a special conference in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, where the three famous "Nos" were decided on: No to peace with Israel; no to the recognition of Israel; and no to negotiations with Israel. The PLO representative at the conference, Ahmad Shukeiri, was even more extreme and called for an active military struggle against Israel. The heads of Arab states believed the superpowers would do their work for them and pressure Israel to withdraw.
Forty-six years have passed, and nothing has changed in relation to the Arabs who are dubbed Palestinians. Yasser Arafat replaced Shukeiri, and Mahmoud Abbas replaced Arafat, but the three "Nos" remained as they were. The chairman of the Palestinian Authority (which the Palestinians insist on calling a "state") is not willing to reach a peace agreement with Israel; he is not willing to recognize Israel as a Jewish state; and he is not willing to negotiate with it.
Israeli Right
Ariela Ringel-Hoffman
Op-ed: Right's speakers needn't lash out at Peres' peace statements; Abbas is doing their job just fine
The same Authority believes that if it remains obstinate, it will magically become a country; a country that the UN or the superpowers will impose on Israel – just as the heads of Arab states thought. Meaning, obstinacy is rewarding. US Secretary of State John Kerry already knows the truth; he knows who is not interested in an agreement; but for unknown reasons he is not going public with this knowledge as of yet. This Authority is not interested in any dialogue with Israel; certainly not peace; it wants to take, but giving nothing in return.
It is obvious that as long as the threat of "going to the UN" still exists, the Palestinians will not recognize the need for compromise, so the Americans just increase their demands – just as they did three years ago when they demanded that Israel freeze settlement construction. According to reports, Abbas has given Kerry a few more weeks before he "goes back to the UN" – as though the PA was some world power that sponsors the US – and the US swallows this insult.
The time has come for the Americans to clarify to the Palestinians that playtime is over, particularly in light of the fact that the majority of the so-called Palestinian population is not taking part in Abbas' "pretend" games. Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the leftist Palestinian factions are saying, clearly and publicly: No to peace; no to negotiations; no to recognition. The difference is that they say this publicly, while Abbas and his spokespeople conceal it. So who should we prefer? Those who speak frankly, or those who hide behind the American deception?
After 46 years of automatic refusal, which borders on suicide, have the so-called Palestinians (only then did the Arabs begin to use the term "Palestinians") yet to realize that Israel is a strong state of eight million people and has no intention of going anywhere? Those who do not recognize reality, do not exist.
