Does the Obama administration ever make any demands on Palestinian Arabs?
I ask this because it certainly has no problem making them of Israel.
Here is the latest, as excerpted from today\’s article in the Jerusalem Post:
Aidesto US Secretary of State John Kerry will request that the Israeligovernment freeze all construction in settlements outside of thelarge blocs of communities that Israel intends to keep in anyfinal-status deal with the Palestinians, Army Radio reported.
Kerry\’saides say the request will be an integral part of the frameworkagreement that will allow for the negotiations to continue past theoriginally allotted nine months, according to Army Radio.
Officialsin Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu\’s office have yet toofficially respond to the request, Army Radio reported. While therehas been no official response from Jerusalem, governmentofficials have resigned themselves to the fact that Israeli gesturesare necessary in order to entice Palestinian AuthorityPresident Mahmoud Abbas back to the negotiating table.
Translation: Again – as countless times in the past – Israel is expected to make a significant concession to Palestinian Arabs – while Palestinian Arabs are not expected to provide a thing at all.
This unadulterated BS has been going on for 47 years, during which Israel has handed over 100% of Gaza and a ton of Judea and Samaria (the west bank).
In return, Israel has gotten… exactly nothing. No two-state solution. No negotiations towards a two-state solution. No Palestinian Arab children being taught that Israel exists. But plenty of training for the next generation of shahids (martyrs), plenty plazas, sporting events, etc. named after “heroes” who murder Israeli civilians… and no peace — except when Palestinian Arabs need time to re-arm.
Here\’s a thought: how about the Obama administration telling Palestinian Arabs that there cannot possibly be a serious negotiation until they renounce the parts of the hamas charter which call for all Jews to be killed (article 7), that no part of Israel can exist (articles 11 and 12) and that all peace negotiations/any peaceful solution at all is unacceptable (article 13).
Why is it more important to demand that Israel freeze the building of settlements on non-sovereign land that Israelis have every bit as much right to as Palestinian Arabs, than to demand that Palestinian Arabs indicate they have any interest of any kind in a peaceful, two-state solution?
Is that too much to ask of Obama and Kerry? Evidently the answer is yes.
There\’s an old saying: keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. But, for this woeful administration, it has been changed to “embrace your enemies and screw your friends”.
Evidently, these two think Israel should do the same. I can only hope that the pressure they are putting on Israel does not force it to move in that direction.
