mighty_duck
New member
The peace talks start every few years, always with great promise at their beginning, and with a thud and renewed violence at their end.
The current round will be no different, but for different reasons. The basic problem is that the current Palestinian president, Mahmud Abbas, has no power to make concessions. Any concession he would make will be used to erode what little sway he already holds, and will be rejected by Hamas (who control Gaza - half the Palestinian population) and most Palestinians living outside of the West Bank, which Abbas claims to represent.
And concessions are going to be necessary to achieve peace – foremost is agreeing to an end to hostilities (and any future demands), recognizing Israel as a Jewish state, and ending the demand for “right of return” of millions of Arabs in to Israel (but allowing for compensation or immigration to the new Palestinian state). None of these are too big a price to pay finally get your own country (which will include almost of their territorial demands)
So even if he wanted to, he couldn’t achieve peace. But the truth is that Abbas, like his predecessor Arafat, isn’t interested. The Arab goal has not changed – the destruction of Israel. On this Abbas and Hamas agree. They differ only in strategy – Hamas wants a continuous war. Abbas wants to establish a state on “part” of the territory, then flood Israel with Arab immigrants (legally or illegally), and reach an Arab majority – at which point the Jewish democracy will self destruct.
So what will happen?
The Palestinians will use the talks to improve their international standing, but since they can’t take them anywhere, will find a ruse to blow them up – blaming the Israelis of course. A new wave of Palestinian violence will commence, followed by an Israeli response.
After the bloodshed, the Palestinians will declare independence unilaterally – a neat trick which won’t cost them any concessions, but which will not lead to peace either. Without a peace agreement and with an enemy with little moral recourse and bent on its destruction, Israel will take measures to protect its security. Expect violence for at least another decade or two – and the International community is largely to blame for falling for Palestinian excuses for violence.
The current round will be no different, but for different reasons. The basic problem is that the current Palestinian president, Mahmud Abbas, has no power to make concessions. Any concession he would make will be used to erode what little sway he already holds, and will be rejected by Hamas (who control Gaza - half the Palestinian population) and most Palestinians living outside of the West Bank, which Abbas claims to represent.
And concessions are going to be necessary to achieve peace – foremost is agreeing to an end to hostilities (and any future demands), recognizing Israel as a Jewish state, and ending the demand for “right of return” of millions of Arabs in to Israel (but allowing for compensation or immigration to the new Palestinian state). None of these are too big a price to pay finally get your own country (which will include almost of their territorial demands)
So even if he wanted to, he couldn’t achieve peace. But the truth is that Abbas, like his predecessor Arafat, isn’t interested. The Arab goal has not changed – the destruction of Israel. On this Abbas and Hamas agree. They differ only in strategy – Hamas wants a continuous war. Abbas wants to establish a state on “part” of the territory, then flood Israel with Arab immigrants (legally or illegally), and reach an Arab majority – at which point the Jewish democracy will self destruct.
So what will happen?
The Palestinians will use the talks to improve their international standing, but since they can’t take them anywhere, will find a ruse to blow them up – blaming the Israelis of course. A new wave of Palestinian violence will commence, followed by an Israeli response.
After the bloodshed, the Palestinians will declare independence unilaterally – a neat trick which won’t cost them any concessions, but which will not lead to peace either. Without a peace agreement and with an enemy with little moral recourse and bent on its destruction, Israel will take measures to protect its security. Expect violence for at least another decade or two – and the International community is largely to blame for falling for Palestinian excuses for violence.