Palestinian Unity Pact A Blow To Peace: Israeli PM

[Purveyor]

LONDON | Wed May 4, 2011 12:26pm EDT

(Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned a Palestinian unity pact on Wednesday as a "tremendous blow to peace."

Netanyahu spoke during a visit to London as a ceremony was held in Egypt ending a four-year rift between the Palestinians' Fatah movement, which backs negotiated peace with Israel, and Islamist Hamas, whose founding charter calls for the Jewish state's destruction.

"What happened today in Cairo is a tremendous blow to peace and a great victory for terrorism," Netanyahu told reporters.

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http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/04/us-britain-israel-idUSTRE7435AB20110504

[azurnoir]

1. Abbas replies

Abbas gave extensive comment on recent threats by Israeli officials to lobby against the unity government, as well as the Israeli government decision to withhold tax revenues from the Palestinian Authority.

"If they keep blackmailing us, we'll make September nearer," he said, referring to the PA's stated intention to head to the UN in September asking that the international body recognize a Palestinian state in the pre-1967 borders, on land recognized as the West Bank -- including Jerusalem -- and the Gaza Strip.

"Israel used division as pretext to stall a peace deal. Now they object to unity. That's unacceptable, its illegitimate," he said.

The Palestinian president said the Israeli premier must now "choose between (building) settlements and peace," and accused Israel of opposing the Palestinian reconciliation accord as "a pretext to avoid peace negotiations."

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=384752

[oberliner]

2. Sounds like the start of an all out military conflict

If they declare a state without coordinating an agreement with Israel - what happens next?

What are they going to do about the Israeli soldiers who would then be stationed throughout their state?

And the Israeli citizens living there under Israeli, not Palestinian law.

What does the new country do about that?

[azurnoir]

3. Abbas said nothing of sort, don't where you come up with that unless

are you implying that Israel will attack in the event of a Palestinian declaration of statehood

[oberliner]

4. Read it again

It's exactly what he said.

[azurnoir]

5. your reply has nothing to do with what I asked

It was your interpretation of Abbas statement I am questioning, he said nothing about a military war with Israel

[oberliner]

6. Read his words - he says exactly what I wrote - it is not an interpretation

Here are his own words:

"We won't accept the existence of any Israeli soldier on Palestinian lands … if there's an independent state, Israel shall not exist in it."

[shira]

7. It's a mistranslation of course. He's being misunderstood, misinterpreted...

:eyes:

[shaayecanaan]

8. Quite lurid dishonesty...

obviously, the whole premise of the peace negotiations is that Israel will withdraw its military occupation from Palestinian lands. I would have thought that all of us would agree that there will not be a final settlement between Israel and Palestine until that happens.

[oberliner]

10. This is if there are no peace negotiations

They have said they will declare statehood, peace negotiations or no.

Considering Netanyahu's position on the unity agreement, it is more than likely going to be the latter.

[shira]

12. You really think once Israel withdraws, THEN the PLO and Hamas will want to negotiate for genuine...

...peace?

What could Israel offer once the occupation/settlements end?

Get real.

[azurnoir]

17. I think once Israel withdraws that's the end of it

peace will have been achieved, but what becomes apparent is that for some of the ProIsraeli posters here the concept of peace is not understood, or is so distasteful that it can not be imagined, it seems Israel has become so dependent on it's holdings in the West Bank that leaving them can not even be thought of

[shira]

20. Really, that's it? How about Right of Return? Hamas, Syria, etc...

...will agree to genuine peace w/o Right of Return?

[azurnoir]

9. why do you keep implying I did not read what Abbas said?

I did there was no indication of war unless once again you are implying that Israel will attack a Palestinian state rather than withdraw it's soldiers.
Why would you expect Palestine or any country to accept occupation troops on their soil if they are not wanted there, and no current state of conflict exists?

[oberliner]

11. Your read on any "implications" is bizarre and unfounded

Here's what Abbas said again, in case you missed it:

"We won't accept the existence of any Israeli soldier on Palestinian lands … if there's an independent state, Israel shall not exist in it."

As you said, it's the Palestinian side that would not accept this situation, not the Israeli side.

[azurnoir]

13. your quote about Abbas "Sounds like the start of an all out military conflict"

Abbas said nothing of a military conflict, he said Israel would not be allowed to keep occupation troops in Palestine.

[oberliner]

14. That's exactly what it sounds like

Abbas said that Israel "shall not exist" in any independent Palestinian state and that he would not accept "the existence of any Israeli soldier on Palestinian lands".

How would he go about making that happen?

[azurnoir]

15. so you are saying Israel will not withdraw from Palestinian land?

we'll see how it plays out but it is indeed odd that you can only see one way and place the blame for that on the Palestinians

[oberliner]

19. Netanyahu: Palestinian Authority must choose - peace with Israel or Hamas

"The Palestinian Authority must choose either peace with Israel or peace with Hamas. There is no possibility for peace with both. Hamas aspires to destroy Israel and fires rockets at our cities ... at our children," Netanyahu said in a statement.

"The idea of reconciliation with Hamas demonstrates the weakness of the Palestinian Authority and makes one wonder whether Hamas will seize control of Judea and Samaria the way it seized control of the Gaza Strip," added the premier, referring to the West Bank,

"I hope the Palestinian Authority will make the right choice and choose peace with Israel," said Netanyahu. "The choice is in the hands of the Palestinian Authority.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/netanyahu-palestinian-authority-must-choose-peace-with-israel-or-hamas-1.358460

[bemildred]

16. Well, it makes NuttyYahoo look like the loser he is, again. nt

[Jefferson23]

18. Well, he's good at it, ya have to give him that much. n/t

* on edit for clarity.