An interesting if somewhat sickening story to start off the New Year..
One of the big surprise stories surfacing is that the 'Palestinians' have finally agreed to begin negotiations with Israel without any preconditions, although they're very careful to label them as 'talks about talks' rather than any actual negotiations. That's probably accurate, since it's almost certain nothing will actually be accomplished.
The talks are being held in Amman, Jordan with Jordan's King Abdullah as mediator in the context of a Middle East Peace Quartet meeting (The United States, Russia, European Union and the United Nations. The Israelis are sending Yitzhak Molcho, Israel's chief negotiator for talks with the 'Palestinians' and Fatah is sending Saeb Erekat, formerly the right fork of the execrable Yasser Arafat's tongue.
Two questions come to mind immediately. Why Jordan, and why did Fatah suddenly agree to sit down with the Israelis? The answers are simple once you connect the dots.
Why Jordan is simplicity itself. King Abdullah, along with a Bedouin minority rules over a country where 75% of the population identifies themselves as 'Palestinian', and where Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood are increasingly popular.Jordan is another of those Arab countries like Egypt without oil income and King Abdullah has attempted to bridge Jordan's economic gap by becoming a U.S. ally and accepting close to $1 billion in American foreign aid.
Jordan has already seen a certain amount of Muslim Brotherhood sponsored unrest, largely from his 'Palestinian' citizens, and the last thing he wants is a Hamas dominated state next door in Judea and Samaria that might seek to overthrow him and take Jordan over as the actual 'Palestinian' state the way Arafat and Fatah did in the 1970's. He has every reason to anxiously support some kind of Fatah ruled state in hopes that even if Hamas takes over, they'll concentrate on trying to destroy Israel. leave him in peace and be content with that. Obviously King Abdullah has forgotten what happened to his father Hussein in the 1970's when Arafat and Fatah tried to take over Jordan and turn it into a 'Palestinian' state in 1970 with a very similar scenario, but that appears to be what King Abdullah has in mind.
As for why Fatah agreed to sit down with the Israelis, the answer's even simpler. Money talks, and they have nothing to lose anyway.
Some of you may recall seeing this under reported story about the U.S. Congress agreeing to release 20 percent of $187 million in U.S. aid to the 'Palestinians' that had been frozen because of 'Palestine's' bid for U.N. membership. That happened just a few days ago, and now we see the 'Palestinians' grudgingly agreeing to meet with the Israelis for the first time in months.
As one of my notorious Little Birdies whom actually works within the 'Palestinian' Authority informed me, I was entirely correct when I guessed this is no mere coincidence.This person had told me back when the funds were first frozen that it was only a matter of time until the 'Palestinians' got their usual jizya from the Obama Administration. And in our latest exchange, he informed me quite openly that the Obama Administration had made a solid proposition to Abbas and Fatah in exchange for freeing up the funds, and just sitting down with the Israelis was the price.
The 'Palestinians' aren't totally stupid, they know President Obama is coming up for re-election and is trying to convince Jews to vote for him, and that even the appearance of progress towards that mythical two-state solution looks good. So they went along. And why not? They have nothing to lose.
Abbas and Fatah aren't in a position to make any kind of binding deal anyway, not without the consent of Hamas. And even if they were, they have absolutely no inclination to do so. As Abbas has said many times, he's not prepared to make even a single concession on 'Palestinian' demands, and those demands aren't anything the Israelis can realistically accept unless they're suicidal.
At worst, the 'Palestinians' will walk away again with remarks for their groupies on the press and the so-called international community about how the Israelis are refusing to negotiate. At best, some of the goons in the Quartet may even successfully lean on Israel for some more unilateral concessions. And the important thing is, they get the money, honey, a nice chunk of which will also go to Hamas.
The 'Palestinians' managed with the willing help of President Obama to obtain $545.7 million courtesy of the US taxpayers in 2011, including the part that was frozen. That money is characterized as development and humanitarian aid, but it really continues to fund the War Against The Jews, since Fatah and Hamas can use it to free up money they already have for use elsewhere. In other words, the US government is funding anti-Semitic incitement and outright terrorism to the tune of well north of half a billion per year.
And it's going to continue. President Obama has already asked Congress for $513.4 million in aid for the 'Palestinians' in fiscal year 2012.
Oh, we have so much money to spare and the Fatah-Hamas Alliance will be so cooperative, how could we not?
ReplyDeleteOur government is such a good friend to Israel. Look at the fabulous Jew-hating mediator they picked to negotiate between the Afghans and the Taliban - they couldn't find anyone better?
Ugh!
'' ...a sickening story to start the New Year.''
ReplyDeleteWhat is sickening is that the Israeli gov't. goes along with this charade, this fraud. Yes, I understand all the dynamics involved that lead Netanyahu to go along with this BS. It still remains short-term interest as opposed to long-term disadvantage re: Israeli national interests.
So, will this ''peace process'' BS become a factor to inhibit Israeli military action against Hamas?
My second point is that King Abdallah is indulging in wishful thinking. His regime cannot survive. The Israeli political establishment is making another blunder - we have no interest in supporting Abdallah & every interest in seeing Jordan become ''Palestine'' even if dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood. It is inconceivable that the Palestinians do not undermine the Hashemite regime eventually.
It should be noted that Israel did NOT lobby against aid to the PA, quite the contrary, the Israeli military lobbied FOR continued aid.
As usual, we are our own worst enemy.
Terry, Eilat - Israel
Aid to the Palestinians in contrast to aid to Israel is uncondtional. As long as such unconditional aid to this group continues to flow in from the US, the EU, and various NGOs the Palestinains have no real incentive to negotiate in good faith. In order to have a realistic chance to achieve the so called two state solution we claim to want, either all aid to the Palestinians needs to be cut off or it needs to be made conditional like the aid Israel receives. If this happens, the parites will be on a much more equal footing. This would make the Palestinians more likely to negotiate in good faith which would make it much more likely that the stated goasl of a two state solution would be reached.
ReplyDeleteThe EU is essentially bankrupt. America is for all practical purposes bankrupt. As such, I don't see either entity being willing or able to continue aid to the Palestinians for much longer.
"As usual, we are own worst enemy." I think you can say the same thing about America as well. America is also its own worst enemy.