Following up on yesterday’s attempt to evade responsibility for terrorism, Palestinian PM Salam Fayyad continues his PR blitz with the willing participation of the Washington Post’s Glenn Kessler complaining that since Annapolis Israel hasn’t done enough.Kessler, like any good PR flack makes sure that we all know Mr. Fayyad’s qualifications.
Fayyad, a former economist with the International Monetary Fund, enjoys good relations with U.S. officials. He is visiting Washington this week to meet with U.S. officials — including Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and President Bush — and to promote a new public-private partnership to create educational and economic opportunities for Palestinian youth, such as refurbishing West Bank youth centers in Nablus, in Hebron and in Ramallah.
.Fayyad has his say:
Fayyad, in comments during an appearance at the Aspen Institute and in a separate interview, said Israeli officials often shower him with praise, then take no concrete steps on dismantling security roadblocks or restraining the growth of Jewish settlements in the West Bank. “You see no change in the way that Israel operates,” he said.”Atmospheres are much better, [but] checkpoints have increased, not decreased. We have good meetings, friendly meetings. A lot of promises of ‘We will think about this, this makes sense,’ ” he said. “I am happy when somebody tells you you are making sense. I would be a damn lot happier when I see things begin to happen.”
In the interview, Fayyad insisted that his comments were “not meant to be pejorative. This is the reality. I am just trying to state it as it is.”
At least Kessler quotes an Israeli source who disputes this:
A number of Israel officials, including Ambassador Sallai Meridor, were in the audience when Fayyad spoke at Aspen. An Israel official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he did not want a public spat, strongly disagreed with Fayyad’s assessment. He said Israel has released Palestinian prisoners, transferred Palestinian tax revenue, signed agreements on industrial zones and handed over security responsibility of some Palestinian areas.”Israel’s made a strategic decision to help strengthen the Palestinian Authority in an effort to cooperate in fighting terrorism and reaching a historic compromise of two states for two peoples,” the official said. “Unfortunately, Palestinian terror continues against Israeli citizens, including by elements affiliated with the Palestinian Authority.”
Three recent terrorism attacks against Israelis were committed by members of the Palestinian security services, the official charged.
“the official charged?” Come on. They were committed by members of the PA’s security services. No qualification necessary.
Fayyad gets a last word in.
“You have to overcome years of mistrust,” Fayyad acknowledged. “I am trying to tell them is this is a new period. If something bad happens, I feel bad, but it is not policy. This is a big difference.”
Well when your security forces are still engaged in terror and your propaganda still calls for the destruction of Israel, it doesn’t really help to overcome the mistrust does it?
Crossposted on Soccer Dad.
