New York Times reporter Isabel Kershner (7/15/10) writes a news analysis of why “peace talks” between Israel and the Palestinians are at a virtual standstill, despite the “upbeat atmosphere” in Washington following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Obama’s recent meeting.
When she attempts to contextualize the “peace talks,” Kershner throws in this misleading history:
Mr. Netanyahu’s predecessor, Ehud Olmert made a far-reaching proposal in late 2008 to the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas. It included an Israeli withdrawal from 93.5 percent of the West Bank, with land swaps and a safe route for Palestinian travel between Gaza and the West Bank making up the other 6.5 percent of the land area that Israel won in 1967.
The notion that Mahmoud Abbas rejected a generous offer in 2008 is a commonly heard media trope: Jackson Diehl (Washington Post, 5/29/09) called the proposal a “a generous outline for Palestinian statehood,” and the Post‘s editorial board described it as a “far-reaching peace offer” (11/5/09).
But the proposal was only “generous” or “far-reaching” from the official Israeli perspective. The Olmert plan (Newsweek, 6/13/09) would have had Israel annex illegal settlement blocs as well as reject the Palestinian “right of return,” a position firmly grounded in international law. The ‘far-reachingâ┚¬Ã‚ proposal actually would have required Palestinians to give away rights guaranteed to them, and would create a series of Palestinian islands surrounded by Israeli settlements.
Kershner also omits important context about Olmert’s term as Prime Minister that would make it understandable as to why Palestinians did not act immediately on the proposal (Mondoweiss, 7/17/2009):
-While Olmert held final-status negotiations with Mahmoud Abbas (between the Annapolis Conference in November 2007 and the end of his term), there was a 43% increase in construction-starts in settlements.
-During Olmert’s term as prime minister, 4,560 new housing units were constructed in settlements and 1,523 new tenders were issued for new housing units.
-Almost 1,500 new housing units were constructed east of the separation barrier (not in settlement blocs).
-Some 560 new structures were built in illegal outposts during Olmert’s term.
-None of the illegal outposts in the West Bank were removed during Olmert’s term.
In addition, Olmert’s offer kept the majority of Israeli settlements and infrastructure in the West Bank, and would have resulted in permanent apartheid in the West Bank.
Kershner’s reading of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations is really nothing new. Looking back at the failed Camp David talks in 2000, the U.S. press repeatedly referred to the Israeli offer in similarly glowing terms, even though that proposal, too, would have made impossible a contiguous Palestinian state and had no basis in international law (Extra!, 07-08/02, NormanFinkelstein.com).
Oh, just let the Zionists have their little Yisrael and put those darn pesky nomads on a reservation somewhere in the middle of the Sahara. A hundred years from now, nobody will care what happened to the so-called Palestinians. They are a bunch of savages. There is no way to civilize them. Their god isn’t really very strong, not like the God of Abraham. Not like Jesus is. Even better, why don’t the Chosen People just go ahead and slaughter them and their livestock like they used to do in the Old Testament? Who is the great prophet in Israel these days who could put his ear up to God’s mouth and get the orders? Talk about hubris!
Anyone who expects truth or justice on this palestinian/Israeli problem is out of touch with reality. One party is perpetualy muddying the waters and lying stealing and murdering its opponents. The other party is fighting back by taking it out on innocent people through murder by suicide bombings and rocket attacks.
Agree with Slytot… kindof.Israel has been snookered enough times that I just don’t believe they will whole heartedly agree to be snookered again.Turn your back..get attacked.Hand over captured land…get attacked.Open areas or lower security and BOOM!Over and over and over it replays its self.Without its stellar security El air would probably be going down in flames pretty soon there after.Without its stellar military- Israel itself would be like meat in front of a pack of wild dogs.The people they are forced to deal with(the Palestinians)have in their very charter a listing for the destruction of Israel.So does real peace mean Israel should just turn and go home(sic)leaving what they consider as their homeland?Or should they simply trust their security to the Palestinian leadership and give them all they want.All this to me would say…DONT HOLD YOUR BREATH.Until Israel trusts their arab neighbors their defense shield will be held high.Get ready for a long wait.
Palestinians are lost as well.Wether or not Geo political realities force them to peace.Force them to forgive past transgressions.Force them to forgo for -ever the terrorist style attacks.Their religion can never stomach it.Peace with Jews.Sorry it may be unthinkable.Get ready for a long wait.
Zionazi Isabel Kershner rises to the occasion again. All hail to Goebel’s daughter propagandist