Guy Bechor writes in Ynet about how bad this deal with Abbas is for Israel:
Back to Oslo illusion
Israel’s immunity gesture will restore terror infrastructure in West Bank
The Palestinian terror infrastructure in the West Bank has been embroiled in an existential ordeal for at least a year: The IDF’s successful nightly targeted killings, which employed the element of surprise, have completely impeded its operations.Instead of plotting terror attacks against Israel or against Israelis, Fatah activists, particularly those operating within the ranks of the al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, as well as Jihad activists (Hamas is not particularly prominent in these activities) are busy seeking refuge, escaping and living underground in constant fear of the IDF. This is one of the IDF’s key successes in the war against terror that has completely shattered what has remained of the Palestinian intifada.
The collapse of the terror infrastructures was very perplexing for the Palestinians because albeit it being originally established against Israel, it also represented Fatah’s strength against Hamas. Fatah demanded a truce from Israel that would also include the West Bank (and in exchange guaranteed progress in the Gilad Shalit affair – although it has no control over his destiny) and in any case asked for immunity for hundreds of persecuted activists.
Now Fatah activists will get what they wanted from the Israeli government. The West Bank will once again become an immune paradise; anti-Israel terror will be restored without interference and will pose a serious threat to Israeli society, which has experienced relative stability and calm in recent years.
Read the entire depressing op-ed. And if this isn’t enough for us, we have a new summit being proposed by President Bush. I predict nothing major will come of this, particularly since the Palestinians are once again pulling the final-status trick out of their hat. Let us note that terrorism has never stopped, the Palestinians refuse to acknowledge the Jewish origin of the Temple Mount, and the “right of return” is still on the Palestinian table. This conference will do nothing but give W. a photo op.
And on the same day that summit is proposed, rockets launched from Gaza struck an Israeli home. Not that the mainstream media noticed. They’re too busy talking about how Israelis and Palestinians are dancing in the streets over the new peace plan. Well, except for Hamas.
In Gaza, Hamas rejected the Bush proposal, calling it a “crusade” against the Palestinian people. Isolated in Gaza, and facing a crackdown in the West Bank, it remains unclear how or whether Hamas would try to undermine the conference.
Um. Let’s take a look at history, shall we? It’s obvious how Hamas plans to undermine the conference. Expect major terror alerts in the days before, and pray that the Israeli intelligence services can stop the planned terror attacks. Oh, and definitely expect a barrage of kassams into Israel.
Sorry. Nothing is going to come of this peace conference, because having terrorists sign a peace of paper swearing they will not be terrorists any more is about as valid as, oh, I don’t know, the Munich agreement of 1938. That would be the one that Neville Chamberlain said would bring “peace for our time.” And we all know how that ended.
Good point.
And it’s history repeating.
Why did Israel have to amnesty them? If they wanted the IDF to stop chasing them, all they had to do was turn in their guns and take up a less aggressive trade.
That’s all any of the Palestinians had to do to get their Palestinian State — begin behaving like a civil society, devise regular, orderly transfers of power, — and stop shooting at Jews!
Ahh … I knew there was a deal-breaker in there somewhere.