Via Times of Israel, Israelis doubt Palestinians’ intentions, PM tells Kerry:
Speaking with Benjamin Netanyahu at a joint press conference before the first of several planned meetings between the two, Kerry said leaders on both sides of the tables already knew what would be included in a US-drafted framework agreement, but added that an agreement was “not mission impossible.”
“We know what the issues are and the parameters,” he said of a potential agreement. “The time is soon arriving when leaders will have to make tough decisions,” he added, and said that he would “work with both sides to narrow differences on a framework that will set guidelines for negotiations.”
However, Netanyahu, recalling Palestinian celebrations over a prisoner release earlier in the week, said he was skeptical over Ramallah’s commitment to peace.
“I know that you are committed to peace; I know that I am committed to peace; but, unfortunately, given the actions and words of Palestinian leaders, there’s growing doubt in Israel that the Palestinians are committed to peace,” Netanyahu said.
From the transcript:
PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU: Welcome back to Jerusalem, John. I want to use this opportunity to express once again my personal appreciation and the appreciation of the people of Israel for your unremitting personal efforts to advance peace between us and the Palestinians. I know that you’re committed to peace, I know that I’m committed to peace, but unfortunately, given the actions and words of Palestinian leaders, there’s growing doubt in Israel that the Palestinians are committed to peace.
A few days ago in Ramallah, President Abbas embraced terrorists as heroes. To glorify the murders of innocent women and men as heroes is an outrage. How can President Abbas says – how can he say that he stands against terrorism when he embraces the perpetrators of terrorism and glorifies them as heroes? He can’t stand against terrorists and stand with the terrorists. And I’m wondering what a young Palestinian would think when he sees the leader of the Palestinian people embrace people who axed innocent men and women – axed their heads or blew them up or riddled them with bullets – what’s a young Palestinian supposed to think about the future? What’s he supposed to think about what he should do vis-a-vis Israelis and vis-a-vis the state of Israel? So it’s not surprising that in recent weeks Israel has been subjected to a growing wave of terrorist attacks. President Abbas didn’t see fit to condemn these attacks, even after we learned that at least in one case – I stress, at least in one case – those who served and are serving in the Palestinian security forces took part in them.
In the six months since the start of peace negotiations, the Palestinian Authority continues its unabated incitement against the state of Israel. This Palestinian Government incitement is rampant. You see it in the state-controlled media – the government-controlled media – in the schools, in textbooks, in kindergartens. You see it at every part of Palestinian society. So instead of preparing Palestinians for peace, Palestinian leaders are teaching them to hate Israel. This is not the way to achieve peace. President Abbas must lead his people away from terror and incitement, towards reconciliation and peace.
John, the people of Israel and I are prepared to make such an historic peace, but we must have a Palestinian partner who’s equally prepared to make this peace. Peace means ending incitement; it means fighting terrorism and condemning terrorism; it means recognizing Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people; it means meeting Israel’s security needs; and it means being prepared to truly end the conflict once and for all. If we’re to succeed in our joint effort, President Abbas must reject terror and embrace peace. I hope he doesn’t miss again the opportunity to give Israelis and Palestinians a better future.
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Comments
The day, there is a group of Palestinian politicians who don’t own their future to Jihad, will be the day that the Palestinians are ready to negotiate.
Good for Netanyhu.
Though Kerry may attempt to answer Netanyhu intelligibly, he can’t.
I have some vague reservations about the desire of Mexican cartels to see American drug use curtailed.
Call it a flaw…
Netanyahu is nobody’s fool. Then there’s Kerry who is everybody’s fool.
John f’n Kerry personally offered to sweeten the deal with 100,000 bottles of ketchup.
Kerry won’t respond rationally to Netanyahu not so much because he can’t but because he sees no reason. The left and the Jew-haters (and to some extent I repeat myself) operate under the clear assumption, when they don’t actually agree with terrorism against Israel, that nothing the Palestinians say or do that indicates they are uninterested in genuine peace actually counts.
It’s just that quaint and charming Arab rhetoric. They don’t mean it. And if the many, many previous Israeli concessions haven’t produced even the insincere statement that the PA (leave alone Hamas) might someday be willing, sort of, maybe, to consider accepting Israel’s right to exist securely, well, surely this one will do so.
If I were a cynic I’d say that all this administration in particular wants from the Arabs is words, but from the Jews they require deeds. I say, if I were a cynic…fortunately, I’m a trusting and credulous soul so I understand just one more Israeli concession…that’ll do the trick.
Exactly how many Quran passages will it take to convince the non-Muslim world that the Quran requires Muslims to hate the Jewish people and to deal harshly with them?
Muslims ask us to read the Quran. I endorse this advice. Read this war manual and begin to understand the intent of Muslims.
For a collection of such passages, here’s one source,
http://www.answering-islam.org/authors/roark/hate_jews.html
Quran (8:39) – “And fight with them [non-Muslims] until there is no more fitna [disorder, unbelief] and religion should be only for Allah.”
I do wish Bibi would speak forthrightly instead of using diplomatic language in dancing around the state of the Muslim heart. He knows these passages and what Muslim leaders and clerics think of the Jews.
The problem I have with your comment is right here:
http://www.acommonword.com
That is the educated, integrated response of knowledgeable Muslims from all 8 schools to Pope Benedict’s Regensburg address. That document recognizes the fundamental commands of Christianity, name “Love God” and “Love your Neighbor,” along with their source (Judaism).
The problem you have is found here,
http://middleeast.about.com/od/palestinepalestinians/a/me080106b_2.htm
The Hamas Covenant contains an agreement to engage in an advertising campaign to convince Muslims that they have an individual, religious duty to kill every Jew on the face of the earth, and to re-conquer every square inch of land ever held by a “Muslim” regime.
I submit that, viewed in light of “A Common Word,” the Hamas Covenant is blasphemy, because it repudiates the Commandment to Love Your Neighbor.
Unless and until the Hamas Covenant is repudiated, there will be no peace, and Islam will get no respect from decent non-Muslims.
blasphemy: the act or offense of speaking sacrilegiously about God or sacred things; profane talk.
I think the word you’re looking for is apostasy.
Elephant in the room. Ariel Sharon.
Bibi just go pull the plugthen deal with Kerry.
Why even bother arguing over PA actions like glorifying terrorists and indoctrinating kindergarteners?
I’d just tell Kerry, “When the PA starts living up to its written promises from the past, we can then begin talking about new agreements. But there is no point in dealing with those who refuse to live up to their own words.”
Peace can only occur when there is trust and there is no trusting the PA because the PA’s actions speak louder than Kerry’s words.
“I search for peace; but when I speak of peace, they want war!”
Psalm 120:7
Actually peace can only happen whel Islam us defeated and the Koran destroyed.
Can you blame BeBe?
“I know that you are committed to peace; I know that I am committed to peace…”
Kerry just wants the problem to go away, and if that means the death of every Jew he does not mind. Ever since his youth he has shown himself to be utterly bereft of moral fiber.
Kerry is under orders from Obama to win a major diplomatic victory before November 2014 – no matter how much Israel must pay for it.
A wise woman once said:
“We will only have peace with the Arabs when they love their children more than they hate us.”
― Golda Meir
A decades long truth remains absolutely timely now: The Palestinians lay down their arms, there would be peace. The Israelis lay down their arms, they would cease to exist.
So, Mr.Swift Boat Kerry: Ge the Palestinians to lay down their arms. Period. Then, we’ll talk, Mr.Served in Vietnam for a few months 45-years ago and collected several purple hearts without missing a day’s duty Kerry.