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March 18, 2007
The latest "hard line": Israel has the right to exist
Associated Press headline: Israel Affirms Hard Line on Palestinians
What's the hard line?
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Sunday peace talks with the Palestinian coalition government would be impossible as long as it refuses to renounce violence and recognize Israel's right to exist. . . . "We can't have contact with members of a government that justifies resistance, or in other words, terror," Olmert said, according to meeting participants.
Harsh.
Here is the generous peace deal Olmert is taking a hard line on:
Israel and the Quartet of Mideast peacemakers—the U.S., EU, U.N. and Russia—imposed the sanctions last year after Hamas was elected to power, labeling the Islamist group with a history of suicide bombings a terrorist group. Despite widespread economic hardship, Hamas rejected the Quartet's conditions for explicit recognition of Israel.The coalition platform, however, appears to implicitly recognize Israel by calling for a Palestinian state on lands the Israelis captured in 1967, in contrast with Hamas' past calls to eliminate Israel altogether. It also pledges to "respect" previous agreements with Israel and authorizes Abbas to conduct future peace talks. Any future deal would be submitted to a national referendum, apparently taking away veto power from Hamas.
During Saturday's swearing-in ceremony, Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas said the Palestinians maintained the right to resist occupation but would also seek to widen a truce with Israel. Abbas has said the deal is the best he can get from Hamas.
What, that's not generous enough for you? It's good enough for Norway and the UN.
Judith | 03/18/07 at 11:45 PM | Categories: - Gaza and Palestine
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Comments
the "hard line" will be that Olmert will make some noises of protest before he gives in and deals with the devil again
sultan knish | March 19, 2007 01:28 PM
But as Olmert is on record as saying that there is no question of Israel's returning to its legitimate internatinal borders, why would anyone expect hikm to pretend to be interrested in peace? The only Palestinian government Olmert will accept is an Israeli one. And that ain't gonna happen. So if he doesn't want peace, he'll get the other thing. Tough.
