Really. Look at the demands Abbas is making.
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas intends to demand that Israel immediately implement the American “benchmarks” proposal for increasing Palestinian freedom of movement in the territories.
In addition, he will ask Israel to release a massive number of Palestinian prisoners, first and foremost Marwan Barghouti, advisors to Abbas said Sunday.
The advisors said that these steps are necessary to strengthen Abbas’ Fatah movement in both the West Bank and Gaza.
The benchmarks proposal, prepared by U.S. security coordinator General Keith Dayton, demands a massive removal of Israeli checkpoints in the West Bank. According to the advisors, that would immediately improve life for every Palestinian.
Similarly, they said, a significant prisoner release would vastly increase Abbas’ popularity, while Barghouti in particular being the most popular Fatah politician could do much to bolster chairman’s standing. Barghouti is currently serving five life terms in prison for the murder of five Israeli civilians.
In addition, the advisors said, Israel must not interfere with efforts to recruit, train and arm Fatah’s security forces. “Israel’s operations completely destroyed these forces in the West Bank,” said one. “[Israel] must allow freedom of movement to members of the Palestinian security services and not impede their training.”
And finally, they said, Israel must resume diplomatic negotiations with Abbas, in order to give the Palestinians a diplomatic horizon, and must hand over all the tax revenues it has collected on the PA’s behalf, so that Abbas can pay the authority’s employees.
What, exactly, is Abbas going to give Israel for all these concessions? Will he turn over terrorists that Israel has long sought, like Zakaria Zubedei? Will he stop the suicide bombers coming from Nablus and Jenin? Will he disband the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, a Fatah terrorist arm? Will he shut down the weapons factories in the West Bank?
No. But here are more demands from Abbas:
The talks are aimed at reaching a series of understandings with Israel, including an Israeli commitment to stop hunting down wanted Palestinian suspects, mainly Fatah and al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades members, to refrain from sending IDF forces into West bank cities, as well as arresting activists, except for those defined as “ticking bombs.”
And here’s what Abbas says he’s willing to do:
The Palestinian security forces in Gaza on their part would commit to act against anyone involved in preparing suicide bombings, as well activists suspected of having ties with Hizbullah or Hamas’ military wing. Furthermore, Abbas’ forces would pledge to operate against Hamas’ special security force, which is expected to try and takeover the West bank as well.
According to PA sources, Jaber and the Israeli officials have already agreed in principle on the issues.
It’s apparently a done deal. They get to keep on manufacturing weapons and promise that they’ll stop suicide bombers. No, really, this time they mean it, and the fact that members of Fatah have been implicated in suicide bombings don’t matter at all, this time, really, honest, they’re going to be different.
As far as I can see, Abbas is asking Israel to strengthen Fatah, which will then use that strength to aid terrorists from Al-Aqsa and other organizations, against Israel. Fatah isn’t going to go back into Gaza. Hamas will not simply give up their aim of an Islamic state. The people of Gaza will not be asking for Hamas’ removal. They’re going to be a cowed and fearful populace, trying to survive.
So. If Olmert agrees to all of these “benchmarks”—will that finally get Israelis angry enough to dump him and call for new elections? Or are Israelis so stupid that they think the same thing, tried and failed over and over again, is going to have a different outcome this time?
Dear Meryl,
My morning is ruined. Please please please tell me this is not really a done deal? I have a headache thinking about the stupidity, riskiness and plain old head in the sand attitude of Olmert, Bush and Company. Why does anyone believe a word Abbas says? And for that matter, why does anyone believe a word Bush or Olmert say?
Anyway, I am sick to my stomach for the poor people living in Sderot, Kiryat Shmona, etc. Never mind our soldiers being kept in secret prisons somewhere in the Middle East.
I love your blog, but I get physically ill hearing about most of this stuff.
Best regards,
Dave
Dave, how do you think I feel writing this stuff?
Geez. That’s why sometimes, you just have to put up a cat picture.
Nope. Hamas’ victory is Abbas’ opportunity. Watch the suicide bombings begin again. And of course, Abbas will say that a) Fatah had nothing to do with it and b) He’s shocked, shocked to find that there are suicide bombers in the West Bank.
Hope the security services can handle what’s coming.
Great idea Keith Dayton. Maybe the US can lead the way by releasing all the prisoners from Guantanamo and abolishing the new airport checkpoints so we can illustrate how effective this strategy is. *rolls eyes*
MizEllie, I think a better analogy would be for the U.S. to release all of the Bloods and Crips currently in jail and expect drug dealing and crime to go down.
And here I was feeling optimistic, hoping that Hamas would start splintering now that there’s nothing left to loot.
Meryl,
You are right and I do love the cat pictures. I show them to my 6 year old daughter all the time. She loves seeing them in all their glory. We have two black cats, Daisy and Julie.
Anyway, thanks for keeping the lights on!
-Dave
One of these days, Abbas will take a trip to meet foreign leaders (but actually to check his graft accounts) and simply not return to Ramallah. Shouldn’t that be Ramleh, anyway?
chsw
Well — but which way do you guys want it?
I mean, either you strengthen Abbas or you risk the spread of Hamastan. If you say no to Abbas, you are implicitly nudging along the demise of the group Israel and the US are now officially backing.
Actually, Ramle and Ramallah are two different places. Ramle being an Israeli city. I have visited the prison there. That is where they hold Jews that are convicted of killing Arabs. They are treated okay at least from what I could see, although the killers of Jews are often let out early from jail and the Jews stay for the length of their sentences. Just the way the world is.
Done deal? I can’t believe that even Olmert could really be that stupid.
As to what Israel should do about the fight between Hamas and Fatah, I think that’s really easy — have the artillery folks keep in practice, and, in the meantime, buy lots of popcorn.
I presume that nobody thinks that Fatah isn’t going to take revenge for their humiliating defeat in Gaza on the Hamassholed that they can get ahold of in Judea and Samaria, after all.
After the debacle in Gaza, there is no way that Fatah will be able to hold on to Judea and Samaria. Fatah has been shown up as the paper tiger they always have been. The people who are surprised that Hamas trounced Fatah on the battlefield are the same idjits who expected Fatah to win the last election.
Unless Israel steps in, the inclusion of Judea and Samaria in Hamasistan is, G-d forbid, only a matter of time. All of the money and weapons the US is planing to give Fatah in a despeatre bid to prop up dead-man-walking Abu Mazen will fall into Hamas’ hands, and Abu Mazen will be back in Tunis in under 6 months.
If he lives.
Anyway, the article Meryl quoted said that this is a “done deal” according to PA sources.
Since when have they ever told the truth?
Well, a stopped clock is right twice a day, but, sheesh, I hope they aren’t this time.
Meanwhile, time for me to watch the evening news and see what’s happening in Gaza; the popcorn’s done popping, after all.