- As a belligerent modern-day Sparta, Israel is a pariah
state. Netanyahu exceeds the worst of Ariel Sharon.
-
- His government is Israel's worst ever. His majority Knesset
allies are rogue, racist criminals, operating outside international law.
-
- His weak-kneed opposition goes along to get along. As
a result, Palestinians suffer grievously. No relief whatever is in sight
for them. Netanyahu's peace overtures hide his duplicitous intent to continue
status quo injustice.
-
- America is a lawless global bully. The business of America
is war. America wages permanent wars on humanity. Together, Obama and Netanyahu
contemptuously intend to deny Palestinians statehood and justice, using
peace talks as a ploy to subvert both.
-
- Abbas and his number two Salam Fayyad are longtime Israeli
collaborators. Both speak with forked tongues. Expect neither one to fulfill
promises. They didn't before and won't now.
-
- Abbas didn't come to New York to deliver. His statehood
petition falls short of what Palestinians want and deserve. His General
Assembly address was hollow rhetoric. It was political, not a genuine proposal
for long denied justice.
-
- He mainly wants peace talks reopened. They never worked
before and won't now. He didn't challenge a Netanyahu/Obama conspiracy
to continue settlement construction and deny Palestinians statehood within
1967 borders (22% of historic Palestine) with East Jerusalem its capital.
-
- Duplicity defines his agenda, not leadership with honor
to do the right thing. Doing so would be totally out of character. He's
not about to change his spots now.
-
- Addressing the General Assembly on September 23, he said
Israeli unilateralism and settler violence threaten PA authority and peace.
No matter that Oslo he negotiated established the PA as Israel's enforcer,
subverting his rhetorical call for peace.
-
- Urging Israel to "come to peace," he said:
-
- "We extend our hands to the Israeli government and
the Israeli people for peacemaking. Our people will continue their popular,
peaceful resistance. (Israeli settlement) policy will destroy the chances
of achieving a two-state solution and threatens to undermine the structure
of the (PA) and even end its existence."
-
- On September 22, Netanyahu thanked Obama for "standing
with Israeli and supporting peace through direct negotiations. We both
agree that Palestinians and the Israelis should sit down together and negotiate
an agreement of mutual recognition and security. I think this is the only
way to get a stable and durable peace."
-
- Netayahu asked other leaders to endorse his position.
In his General Assembly address, he said:
-
- "Israel is prepared to have a Palestinian state
in the West Bank, but we're not prepared to have another Gaza there. The
Palestinians must first make peace with Israel, and only then get their
state....The truth is the Palestinians want a state without peace and you
should not let that happen."
-
- He also lashed out at the the UN, calling its actions
"a theater of the absurd." At the same time, he challenged Abbas
saying Palestinians were armed "only with their hopes and dreams,"
saying:
-
- "Hopes, dreams - and 10,000 missiles and Grad rockets
supplied by Iran" threaten Israeli security. In fact, Palestinians
never threatened Israel and don't know.
-
- When repeatedly attacked, they respond lawfully in self-defense
with small arms, homemade and other modest weapons compared to Israel's
F-16s, attack helicopters, tanks, and other destructive weapons used against
Palestinians.
-
- Netanyahu also appealed to Abbas for direct talks, beginning
in New York before both leaders head home.
-
- His UN comments showed characteristic contempt for Palestinian
rights. Not only does he spurn peace, he won't tolerate Palestinian independence.
-
- Saying "Let's meet here today in the United Nation"
is a thinly veiled demand for unconditional surrender. No responsible leader
would agree. Abbas, however, appears willing if he's able to make it appear
he's doing the right thing.
-
- Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh accused him of acting
unilaterally without consulting other leaders, adding:
-
- "The Palestinian people do not beg the world for
a state, and the state can't be created through decisions and initiatives.
States liberate their land first and then the political body can be established."
-
- "We repeat today that we are with the establishment
of a Palestinian state on any liberated part of Palestinian land that is
agreed upon by the Palestinian people, without recognizing Israel or conceding
any inch of historical Palestine."
-
- Haniyeh stressed that there can be "no mandate for
any Palestinian leadership to infringe on Palestinian national rights,
nor is there a mandate for any Palestinian actor to make historic concessions
on Palestinian land or the rights of the Palestinians, foremost among them
the right of return."
-
- Israeli Belligerence Belies Efforts for Peace
-
- Throughout the week leading up to Friday, thousands of
Palestinians rallied for statehood. On September 23, outdoor screens let
them watch his General Assembly address.
-
- On the same day, Israeli security forces fired tear gas,
concussion grenades, rubber coated bullets, and sound bombs at N'ilin and
Bil'in villagers. Marching nonviolently for statehood, they were attacked
for demanding their rights.
-
- As a result, dozens were either wounded or suffered gas
inhalation. Bil'in olive trees were set ablaze, but quickly put out. Israeli
security forces tacitly allow settler violence. Palestinian victims are
blamed.
-
- Israeli forces also shot and injured five Palestinians
with rubber coated bullets in reported clashes at the Qalandia checkpoint
near Ramallah. At issue was preventing Palestinians from crossing a checkpoint
for Friday Jerusalem prayers.
-
- On September 23, Israel deployed 22,000 security forces
across the West Bank and East Jerusalem, as well as along the Green Line
separation from Israel.
-
- In Jerusalem, police barred entry to the Al-Aqsa mosque
compound to men under 50 and anyone without a blue East Jerusalem ID card.
An extra 1,500 reservists were called up to enforce it.
-
- A military spokesman said troops would show "restraint
using riot dispersal means." However, when Palestinians rally or march
peacefully, they're often attacked with tear gas, concussion grenades,
rubber coated bullets and other violent means.
-
- The above examples bear witness to what Palestinians
regularly endure under occupation. It's why they want it ended under statehood.
-
- Pro-Israeli New York Times Writers Comment
-
- On September 23, New York Times writers Neil MacFarquhar
and Steven Myers headlined, "Palestinians Request UN Status; Powers
Press for Talks," saying:
-
- Following Abbas' General Assembly address, Quartet "powers
reached an agreement on terms to restart talks between Israel and Palestinians,
Obama" officials said.
-
- Officials hope for "a new round of negotiations....after
many months of stalemate."
-
- More on them below.
-
- On September 23, Times writer Ethan Bronner (a man accepting
fees for pro-Israeli speeches) headlined, "Amid Statehood Bid, Tensions
Simmer in West Bank," saying:
-
- "....Jewish settlers worry that Palestinian militants
buoyed by international support of their statehood will step up attacks....(T)ensions
lie just below the surface."
-
- Settlers "fear for their communities....So the risk
(that) Palestinians....might try to march on (them) is quite real."
-
- "If they march, I'm sure they will come with knives
and rocks, not with candies," said one settler. "This government
lets the Arabs do whatever they want. But when a man feels unprotected,
he takes the law into his own hands."
-
- Bonner is a longtime Israeli apologist, blaming Palestinians
for Israeli crimes and settler violence allowed to continue with impunity.
-
- On matters relating to Israel and US imperialism, blame
victims is standard Times policy.
-
- Elements of the Quartet's Proposal
-
- Quartet members established a timeline for "realistic
and serious" negotiations to begin in a month. They hope for comprehensive
proposals within three months, substantial progress in six, and a firm
deal by end of 2012.
-
- As a result, expect Abbas' Security Council petition
to be tabled, effectively consigning it to memory hole oblivion.
-
- Abbas said he's willing to meet Netanyahu and other Israeli
officials provided settlement construction stops. Netanyahu refuses. Though
it remains to be seen what's next, early comments and body language suggest
continuing status quo futility.
-
- An unnamed Israeli official said his side was "currently
studying the" Quartet proposal, adding "(w)e are ready to resume
the negotiations."
-
- Chief PA negotiator Saeb Erakat (another longtime Israeli
collaborator) urged Israel to "seize" the Quartet plan, saying
Palestinians are "ready to assume our responsibilities. But Israel
needs to assume its own and end settlement activity."
-
- Notably, the Quartet's proposal excludes key issues,
including settlements, 1967 borders, East Jerusalem as Palestine's capital,
diaspora Palestinians right of return, and Gaza's siege among others.
-
- In other words, it's little more than same old, same
old dead-end failure offered Palestinians for decades instead of long denied
justice.
-
- Yet Erakat, representing Abbas and Fayyad, accepted what
has no chance of succeeding or assuring Palestinian statehood within Gaza,
the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
-
- In other words, they're comfortable with status quo failure
and betrayal, their rhetoric notwithstanding.
-
- A Final Comment
-
- Palestinians must challenge collaborationist leaders
working against, not for, their interests. Otherwise they'll remain occupied
without statehood indefinitely.
-
- Obama and Congress want it. So does Netanyahu and other
Israeli leaders. Abbas, Fayyad, Erakat, and close collaborationist PA allies
go along. Hamas and other Palestinian factions are entirely shut out.
-
- Gaza remains isolated under siege. Repressive military
occupation continues. Institutionalized injustice won't end.
-
- A previous article said neither will constant fear, economic
strangulation, collective punishment, mass arrests, torture, neighborhood
incursions, Israel's expanding Separation Wall, curfews, roadblocks, checkpoints,
barriers, by-pass roads, barbed wire, electric fences, isolation in bantustans,
daily humiliation, and naked aggression whenever Israel chooses to wage
it against defenseless civilians.
-
- Changing what's no longer tolerable requires Palestinians
react for what they'll only achieve by themselves.
-
- With growing millions of supporters, why not, and what
better time to start than now!
-
- Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at
lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
-
- Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and
listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive
Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central
time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy
listening.
-
- http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/.
|
