"If there is an independent Palestinian state we won’t agree to the presence of one Israeli in it,” Abbas says. This approach is not only dangerous; it also nullifies any possible good that could come out of the negotiations. “Abbas’ vision of peace in the Holy Land is duplicitous and repugnant and only serves to undermine Secretary of State Kerry’s peace initiative,” says Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder and dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center. “The bitter irony is that Abbas has made a career out of rejecting Israel as a Jewish State, yet has the audacity to claim for himself that the future Palestinian state will be cleansed of Jews.” “Abbas and his supporters continue to call Israel a racist and apartheid state—despite the fact that nearly 20% of Israeli citizens are Christians and Muslims,” Rabbi Hier goes on to say. “Now as renewed peace talks struggle to gain traction, he has signaled Israelis that the neighbor who will be sharing the Holy Land plans to exclude all Jews from its domain.” Abbas has also been clear about his idea of borders and what he will and will not agree to coming out of the talks in Washington D.C. “East Jerusalem is the capital of the state of Palestine … if there were and must be some kind of small exchange (of land) equal in size and value, we are ready to discuss this – no more, no less.” In addition, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Hamas, and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad remain opposed to negotiations with Israel, while other PA officials view the peace process as the first stage in the destruction of Israel
Posted on: Sun, 04 Aug 2013 21:34:13 +0000
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