The world has been clamoring for Israel to sit down with the palestinians and work things out. Well, that’s exactly what Olmert did. In fact, he put the palestinian flag up during the negotiations.
Olmert’s men explained that the warm welcome and the Palestinian flags being raised alongside the Israeli flags were meant to prove that there is no patronization on the Israelis’ part, and that they were negotiating with Abbas because they truly believe he wants peace and they hope to make him a real partner.
“Abu Mazen,” said Olmert’s men, “was welcomed at the prime minister’s residence just as any other head of state would be.”
I think Olmert is an idiot, but in spite of that, the media, as usual, ignores any positive steps made by Israel, and only magnifies negative steps.
I’m not seeing a whole lot of praise for Israel in the media about the current negotations. And what’s up with this weird headline in AP?
Israel Vows to Release Palestinian Funds
Let me guess: If Israel does not release the money, AP will lead with a headline that says “Israel Breaks Vow to Palestinians.”
It’s the only explanation.
In any case. Olmert bent over far, far backwards for Abbas, to the point where Abbas told his people that Israel acceded to their demands. It’s all about winning, you see, not negotiating, as it has ever been with the palestinians.
Hamas, of course, said the negotations were useless.
Hamas dismissed the Saturday afternoon meeting between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and PA President Mahmoud Abbas, saying it would “not serve the Palestine question,” and adding that Hamas did not “hinge hopes” on the encounter, the Hamas English language website reported.
Ismail Redwan, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza, was quoted as saying that the “Zionist enemy exploits such meetings to politically blackmail the PA,” the website said.
“We don’t attach high hopes to such meetings because they always fall in line with pressures on Palestinians, denying them rights and rejecting their legitimate demands,” Redwan added.
If you read a little further down the article, you’ll see that Hamas is also (again) accusing Israel of trying to make Al-Aqsa collapse. This is another blood libel perpetrated by the palestinians any time they want to stir the faithful into rioting against Israel.
Meantime, the folks over at Harry’s Place think that Abbas made a brave speech, that this proves that he wants peace. I think they missed a part.
Then they began talking about another thing: “Yes, we accept a state within the 1967 borders.” Did they or did they not say this? What’s so new about this? But there is one condition. Those people beyond the Green Line – we don’t recognize them, but we will give them a hudna for 15 years. Is this conceivable?! Will the [Palestinian] cause remain in a state of hudna for 15 years? This means the end of the [Palestinian] cause.
The “they” are Hamas. This is Abbas saying that a 15-year hudna will be the end of the palestinian cause. Doesn’t sound very peaceable to me.
In sum: Same-old, same-old. Israel makes positives steps, world ignores. Palestinians make negative steps, world ignores. Israelis killed by palestinians, world downplays. Palestinian terrorists killed by Israel: Front-page news.
it’s another round of the same game that’s been played for a long time now
meaningless offers from the palestinians returned with israeli concessions that all lead to nothing, while the world keeps bellowing at israel to give peace a chance and putting the entire responsibility for it on israel’s shoulders… despite the fact that currently hamas and fatah are the ones shooting at each other
sultan knish (great nick btw) – you are describing the symptoms of the creeping delegitimization of Israel. Death by a thousand pinpricks, as it were. It is as yet unspoken in an explicit way by the mainstream media, but fully integrated into their core beliefs, that Israel as a fact and as an idea is a historical mistake. That’s why everything Israel does is cast in a bad light. This, in turn, is deep-seated and latent antisemitism. Jews are to be tolerated as individuals, perhaps, or even as minorities in other peoples’ nations, but when they get too organized, WHOA THERE, uppity Jews, we can’t allow this. What I want to know is, what the fuck are they all afraid of, really??? (Meryl said it’s OK to use the ‘f’ word, right?)
thanks
the basic premise is that israel’s existence is illegitimate while the palestinian cause is just
everything they report comes from that perspective, thus no matter what is going on the reports are framed with the assumption that israel is at fault… because of the very fact of its existence
appeasement, peace offers win no plaudits for long because the assumption by the media as well as the palestinian arabs is that whatever israel offers is a fraction of what the arabs are entitled to anyway and whatever violence they carry out against israel is a fraction of the violence they are entitled to anyway
one had hoped that this mindset toward jews had become extinct at least in the western world after WW2 but that was a vain hope
and there’s the lie to the charge that Israel’s “hasbara” is poor.
Even the best hasbara won’t matter much if it keeps falling on deaf ears.
Even the best hasbara won’t mater much if it keeps falling on deaf ears.
“Abu Mazen,†said Olmert’s men, “was welcomed at the prime minister’s residence just as any other head of state would be.â€
“Abu Mazen” is not an f***in head of state, Olmert. What the F is that man’s problem?…