Warning for Israel as Kerry Implements Abbas’s Wishes

If early reports are to be believed, United States Secretary of State John Kerry’s meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was agreeable and revolved around restarting the peace process and what needs to happen in order to persuade Abbas to return to the negotiations. Secretary Kerry has insisted that Abbas give up his preconditions of an Israeli building freeze, right of return for millions of refugees, and a return to the pre-June 1967 borders. One would think that having Mahmoud Abbas back away from his insistence upon such preconditions would remove those as obstacles and that is true for as far as it goes. The problem arises when one pays attention to the details of the results of the meetings. The small bits which have been mentioned point to some agreements between Kerry and Abbas on certain items which would be desirable to accomplish before the start of actual negotiations, though these items are not being labeled as preconditions, just things that should be accomplished before negotiations start.

The first of these items which have been hinted are for Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu present Secretary Kerry with a map showing what will be the borders for the Palestinian State and to reach an agreement on what should be the desired goal, but of course this will not have any relevance or appearance to the pre-June 1967 borders. Kerry and Abbas are also apparently in agreement that Israel be required to release a number of terrorists from Israeli prisons before the resumption of negotiations. President Abbas was quoted stating that prisoner releases were a “top priority” upon which everything else was dependent. Thus far no number has been discussed but one can figure that Secretary Kerry will most likely push Netanyahu as hard as he is able to meet the fullest numbers of Mahmoud Abbas’s desired numbers. Also mentioned was that the Palestinians could not abide by any Jewish construction in Judea, Samaria and eastern Jerusalem, particularly Israeli planed project in E1 area between Jerusalem and Maale Adumim as this would isolate Jerusalem.

These discussions were not the most troubling though they do provide a view of a coming problematic series of negotiations with Secretary Kerry even before negotiations with Abbas can even begin. This was further amplified when one learns of some of the offers which Secretary Kerry was reported to have plied Mahmoud Abbas to return to negotiations. These were offers initiated by Secretary Kerry and were not in response to anything asked, demanded or even stated as a wish by Abbas. These are just more items being suggested by members of the Obama Administration who appear to enjoy seeing if they can invent demands on Israel which are even more outlandish and extreme than the ones emanating from the Palestinians themselves. These new ideas proposed by Secretary Kerry to be conditional for the restart of negotiations were for Israel to surrender much or all of Area B to Palestinian control and be included in Area A which is under complete Palestinian control and forbidden to IDF troops, Israeli civilians or any manner of Israeli control. Kerry also promised to have all of the tax funds Israel is holding be turned over to the Palestinians immediately and that Secretary Kerry and the Obama Administration would assure that these funds never be withheld or delayed again in the future. Even more troubling is the indications that Secretary Kerry is proposing that the Palestinians be granted jurisdiction over lands currently within Area C which is currently under complete Israeli control and beyond Palestinian reach. Area C were the lands which were originally considered to be the areas which Israel would retain and would never be granted to the Palestinians when the Oslo Accords were first negotiated and implemented. This plan also would allow for the Palestinians to be allowed to build with relative ease and mostly unabated wherever they had a need within Area C. So, Kerry is by implication of these moves to grant the Palestinians with total right to build anywhere within Judea and Samaria and East Jerusalem while curtailing any Israeli control or rights to these lands.

Kerry apparently wishes to provide the Palestinians with control and freedoms throughout the contested areas while forcing Israel from any influence or rights in these areas. This would inevitably lead to the slaughter of the Israeli living in Judea and Samaria and would inevitably lead to the surrender of all the contested areas to Palestinian rule without any need for further negotiations. Abbas would simply have to sit across from Netanyahu and repeatedly claim to have to consult after every point is brought up for discussion, leave for consultation for a couple of weeks, return and decline to accept any offer and simply build the Jews back beyond the Green Line. The question then would be how much further Secretary Kerry with the full backing of the Obama Administration would try to force Israel to surrender? Would Abbas once again be boasting on how he would build the Palestinian capital in all of Jerusalem as he had when former Prime Minister Olmert was making ever more generous offers of land for empty promises? The promises and gifts which Secretary Kerry is proposing to Abbas are beyond anything which Israel can allow if there are to be real and productive negotiations. Kerry cannot be allowed to give away the store as if Israel was having a going out of business sale.

Prime Minister Netanyahu must do more than simply tell Secretary Kerry that he has no deal and that if Secretary Kerry honestly believes that negotiations are simply supposed to be Israel granting the Palestinians anything and everything their dark little hearts’ desire, perhaps he should check with President Obama whose recent message to President Abbas was to drop the preconditions while also pointing out the settlements were not an obstruction to peace. The Prime Minister had also better make sure that MK Tzipi Livni understands the limits and what areas are off limits and beyond her power to surrender in negotiations. There have also been rumor that MK Livni has concluded that the Israeli insistence to be recognized as the Jewish State is an unnecessary demand and thus one she is willing to surrender away. It has been reported that a Western source well-versed in the diplomatic contacts saying Livni “has become convinced that Israel’s insistence on this condition could prevent the resumption of negotiations, and did not rule out the position presented to her, according to which the most Israel can receive from Abu Mazen is a recognition of the solution of two states for two peoples.” Without this point being recognized there can be no insistence that terrorism and violence to liberate the rest of Palestine cannot be made honestly as releasing the Palestinian leadership from making this recognition is the sole route to defining the lands contained within the final agreed borders are truly Israeli lands and not just more Palestinian lands to be liberated. Without the recognition of Israel as the Jewish state there is no two nations side-by-side; there is only current Palestine and to be liberated Palestine side-by-side as far as Fatah, Hamas, and the Arab world are concerned. That is the reason Israel must insist on recognition as the Jewish state if the violence is to be ended. And that is also the reason that Secretary Kerry needs to be sent packing well chastised with his tail between his legs never to return as long as he holds the concept that peace means Israeli complete and total surrender and subservience to the Palestinians and the Arabs. Never Again means Not Now, Not Ever will Israel surrender and allow the Jews to be made homeless again.

Beyond the Cusp

Beware of Kerry Offering Peace Process Deals

When United States Secretary of State remained behind after accompanying President Obama on his recent trip to Israel and the Middle East in order to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to feel out both sides on his ideas for restarting the peace process, there were some ideas floated about where Secretary Kerry planned to go and what he was expecting from the two sides in order to gain some reactions and gage the amount of resistance or acceptance the initiatives would encounter. The proposals Secretary Kerry is expecting Israel to adopt were very similar as the usual ploys demanded of Israel, release some thus far undisclosed number of terror prisoners from Israeli custody and allow for restructuring Area B in Judea and Samaria to merge it into Area A giving complete and total control over even more lands to the Palestinian Authority. Unfortunately, Secretary Kerry’s proposals for the Palestinians were also very similar to previous offers, to promise not to seek further gains through international agencies or courts and drop the Palestinian demand for a building freeze. So, here we go once more into the breach with the demands placed on Israel are cemented deeds of surrendering even more lands to Palestinian control for the use of launching terror strikes and other disruptions and releasing a significant number of the worst of the worst terrorists who will assist in facilitating the terror attacks and other demonstrations and lawlessness. Meanwhile the Palestinians are being asked to make empty promises which they will break just as soon as they have used Secretary Kerry and the full pressure of the United States State Department as well as President Obama’s support with all that such can entail to squeeze as much from the Israeli negotiators before walking out on the negotiations and starting the next round of violence. We have all seen this song and dance numerous times since the introduction of Oslo which was perhaps the biggest perpetrator of this scenario of evils.

One can likely easily predict what President Abbas will have to say when Secretary Kerry comes knocking on his door. He has already accepted the expectation that Prime Minister Netanyahu will release a sizeable number of Palestinian terrorists from serving out the rest of their sentences and the transfer of most if not all of Area B into Palestinian hands making them completely off limits to Jews who would pay with their lives for trespassing onto Palestinian lands. In return he will likely promise not to take Israel before any international court or agency and will agree not to press for an Israeli building freeze beyond the negotiations but will attempt to have Secretary Kerry demand that Israel impose a building freeze for the entire period while negotiations are being considered. For some unknown reason, I can see Secretary Kerry agreeing with President Abbas that a building freeze makes perfect sense and add that demand to the Israeli to do list. Expect to hear plenty of quotes from Mahmoud Abbas about how he is looking forward to negotiation and how he is ready to make the necessary sacrifices for peace and if only Netanyahu would show the same flexibility as the Palestinians have there would be talks and peace breaking out momentarily. Expect much of the world press to seek answers from Netanyahu about if he is ready to meet Abbas half way and if not why is it the Israelis refuse to even try to make peace and how long are the Israelis going to deny the Palestinians their rightful homelands. I foresee a wholesale assault on Netanyahu while the praises of Abbas are sung far and wide. I call it “The Adoration and the Beast.”

Abbas already knows exactly what he needs to do to come out looking like he is the man of the hour. All he needs to do is grin and shake hands with Secretary Kerry and make grand statements about his being anxious to get to the peace table and work with Netanyahu and Tzipi Livni to reach a fair and equitable peace. He will not need to deliver on any of his grand illusions; he just has to paint the picture of willingness and affability. Then when it all falls apart Abbas simply has to condemn Netanyahu and most of the world’s mainstream press will join in on damning Netanyahu while heaping praises on Abbas. In the meantime, Abbas, with the aid of the press, will be spreading the blame for the uptick in violence on Netanyahu and the Israelis for some offense such as Judaizing Jerusalem, using overly strong tactics against innocent Palestinian demonstrators, Being unyielding and refusing to take a chance on peace, obstinacy, and a the litany of other evils just as the act had been mastered originally by Yasser Arafat and nearly perfected by his protégé who was by his side when founding the PLO, Mahmoud Abbas. People tend to forget that next to Yasser Arafat from the beginning was the representation of the PLO as statesmen, the man who wore a suit, Mahmoud Abbas. Replace the suit with fatigues and a gun on his hip and take away his razor for a couple of days and you would have a second Arafat because the lying and underhandedness of Arafat is found just as deeply in Mahmoud Abbas, he just looks and smells better.

Meanwhile, what should be Prime Minister Netanyahu’s reaction to the trip into shame being planned for him by Secretary Kerry? Netanyahu has to know that there is nothing that will favor Israel in Secretary Kerry’s plans and that Kerry will ally and work to assist the Palestinians in every way he can as Kerry has proven by past actions and statements that he believes that the Palestinians are peace loving and that if only Israel could be brought to bend there would be peace. Kerry does not believe that the Palestinians have never desired peace but only wish to destroy the Jewish State of Israel. The Palestinians, including Abbas and Fayyad, have said time and time again that they will only accept a peace which will lead to the destruction of Israel even if it must be done in stages. So, what can Prime Minister Netanyahu do to prevent the field-day that the press is praying for at his and Israel’s expense? Other than meeting Secretary Kerry at the airport and handing him a fishing rod and requesting he go fishing elsewhere, is there a magic bromide which can be applied to save Israel from this trap? Yes, there is one item that Netanyahu can request that would end any attempts from Abbas and Kerry to demonize Israel. He would have to tell Kerry that should Abbas agree that he will give up the Palestinian right to violence against the presumed occupation for the duration of the peace talks he will release prisoners and transfer the land at the conclusion of the talks providing the peace has not been violated, not one stone thrown, not one knife wielded, not one tire set aflame, not one fire-bomb thrown, not one riot to prevent Jews from visiting the Temple Mount, not a single provocation of any kind, that is what Israel demands. It probably does not seem like a very big demand and should be something easy to arrange, but in that rides the problem. If Abbas does manage to arrange the quiet and stops the attacks and rioting, then he is able to stop terror and he becomes responsible for any further act of terror. And if Abbas is unable to enforce calm then why negotiate with a person who does not even control the people he presumably represents? The request is a simple one that almost everyone would agree is righteous and noble and not out of the question. If anything it should be the easiest of requests to grant but Abbas would refuse to accept such a request and by doing so would have his façade stripped away. So, Prime Minister Netanyahu, just meet Kerry with a fishing rod and request that Abbas guarantee calm and a complete cessation to terrorism, riots, and lawlessness for the duration of the peace talks and ask that Kerry call him once he has that guarantee but in the meantime, tell him you are going fishing.

Beyond the Cusp

Fear of Netanyahu Implementing Another Disengagement too Limited

One of the major points of contention being exploited against the new Likud-Beiteinu conjoined effort in the coming Israeli elections are based on the theory that if Benyamin Netanyahu is reelected to the office of Prime Minister with a sufficient mandate by the electorate he will implement another disengagement with the Palestinians, this time in much of the West Bank. Theories about how much of Judea and Samaria Bibi will be willing to surrender to the Palestinians is the subject of pure conjecture. The most optimistic estimations claim Israel will retain all of Area C while allowing for a Palestinian State to be formed within Areas A and B while the most pessimistic predictions propose that solely the major blocks around Jerusalem and bordering the Green Line will be retained and anywhere from fifty to ninety settlements approximately may be evacuated, forcefully if necessary. This would result in anywhere from fifty-thousand to one-hundred-thousand Jews to be torn out of their communities and relocated in similar fashion to the forced evacuation of Gush Katif, and we know exactly what a series of disasters were spawned as a result. Unfortunately the truth of the matter may be far more sinister and depressing than anyone might wish.

No matter who is elected to be Prime Minister of Israel in the coming elections, that person will end up facing pressures and situations where the only available choices are bad, worse, and disastrously worse. The problem that will vex and tax the next Prime Minister of Israel will be in the form of attacks on political and legal levels married to ultimatums tied to threats of war, dissolution, abandonment or complete isolation from the rest of the nations of the world. The initial warning came with the announcement of a request, nay, a demand by the Arab League directed to President Obama to do everything in his power to force a solution that meets and satisfies the needs expressed by the Palestinian demands for their borders upon Israel. Even should President Obama choose to ignore this call from the Arab League, the Palestinians have worked in coordination with the Arab League in taking steps, measures, judicial procedures, petitions of world bodies, especially the United Nations, and alliance building in mutual treaties aimed at isolating Israel with nations sympathetic to their cause, including some of the European Union as well as most of the nations in the Non-Aligned Movement. All of these will serve to slowly force Israel into making the concessions or face what may seem to be terrifying consequences. So, it is very possible that it really does not matter who sits in the Prime Minister’s office, they will face such dire consequences that they may see no other acceptable path than to grant the Palestinians their State on the terms dictated to them as reasonable by those nations, institutions, NGOs and other alliances which have joined in the coming storm that will be aimed at Jerusalem. Yes, I mean Jerusalem as control over the Temple Mount and the Old City is as important if not more so as any other demand made by the Palestinians and their Islamic allies because by controlling Jerusalem they hold the beating heart of Judaism and a central node of Christianity and as such, possessing Jerusalem is of tantamount importance for simply psychological and propaganda purposes. For a corollary to what exactly Jerusalem means to the forces of Islam, simply read up on the conquest by the powers of Islam of Constantinople and their conversion of the Hagia Sophia Cathedral into a Mosque, transforming from the largest Cathedral of its time to the largest Mosque in its time.

To those who head their respective parties’ lists and dream of being the next Prime Minister of Israel, I have the following well known and over used admonition; be careful what you wish for, you just may get it. I really feel for the person, whoever it will be, who is chosen to be the Israeli Prime Minister as he will end up facing the most polarized divide of Israelis and have to make decisions which will make one third or more of the population call for his head on a pike. The Israeli population will divide on issues along differing fault lines depending on the subject. Some of these divides are the Secular and Religious; those living beyond the Green Line and those living inside the Green Line; the ones who still believe in the land for peace formula as a valid path to a solution and those who have completely lost any faith in peace by any means; the extreme leftists with the anarchists who support the Palestinians over Israel and those who support Israel above all else; The Ardent Zionists and the Post Zionists; and even many of the old divides found in almost every country such as the well off against the needy. The traumas that could possibly assault the Israeli population resulting from the forces aligning against the existence of a Jewish State may cause new divisions within the population that have never been witnessed before but the one thing which will act as a multiplier of any divide that forms within the public is the media and their drive to cause news and form public opinions rather than provide nonpartisan and purely factual reporting of events and situations.

There is one saving prayer that Israel needs to find is some avenue which would bring the public together and unite them in overwhelming numbers behind the Prime Minister and the government allowing them to represent a united face to the world and enable the Israeli governance to resist the pressures of an antagonistic world. This hatred and antagonism has been building for decades and has been most evident in the changing attitudes of much of Europe which have steadily moved to align with the Islamic forces which have the destruction of the Jewish State as one of their foremost priorities. Another front where a growing antagonism towards Israel and with it a resultant rise in anti-Semitism has been the campuses of universities worldwide and is manifested during the yearly campaign calling for supporting the Palestinians by agitating for countries, organizations and anybody else they can influence to join the BDS campaign against Israel and also impose boycotts, disengagements, and sanction on Israel with the intent of isolating Israel and slowly destroy the economy. The most disturbing occurrences of these efforts within the University communities which aim to destroy Israel, or at the very least remove any vestige of Jewish identity from Israel, are those which occur inside Israel on the very institutions of higher learning where a segment of ardent anti-religion leftists who call for and urge support of the BDS campaigns.

The other confrontation which will assail Israel and be a threat that the next Prime Minister will need to resolve will be a legal assault through some of the most anti-Israel, anti-Zionist and anti-Semitic agencies spawned by the United Nations at the urging of the Non-Aligned Nations, the Arab League, the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and others sympathetic to their ideas concerning Israel or the Jewish people. Since the United Nations General Assembly granted the PLO, and thus the Palestinian Authority and potentially all of Judea, Samaria and Gaza, nonmember statehood, there have surfaced numerous threats made by Mahmoud Abbas, other leadership from the PLO, Fatah, Hamas, Muslim Brotherhood and the Palestinian Authority to take their grievances to higher authorities and use various means and routes now made a viable for them to destroy Israel by other than military means. Some such threats may even deserve mention. One of the most laughable was the threat to take Benyamin Netanyahu before the International Criminal Court on charges of committing war crimes. There has been mention of taking a petition to the United Nations Security Council to demand an enforceable motion demanding that Israel return all of the lands beyond the 1949 Armistice Lines that they gained during the Six Day War including East Jerusalem, the Old City, the Temple Mount, the Kotel, and all of the settlement blocks placing them under Palestinian rule as well as requesting the assistance of the forces that would be marshaled to force this implementation to also assure that all Jews were removed by any means necessary. There have been references to the Palestinian “Right of Return” for five to seven million; the number varies from one day to the next, Muslim Arabs to their original homes within pre-1967 Israel along with immediate citizenship thus allowing for a Muslim majority which could vote to totally change the makeup of Israel as the Jewish State and possible vote in Sharia and thus even force the Jews to leave Israel. The ideas and avenues that granting of statehood by the United Nations General Assembly vote has opened up for the Palestinians new and simply fantastic avenues to harass and possible to eventually eviscerate and destroy Israel as it is currently understood. For this reason alone it has become of paramount importance that the people of Israel must come together or they risk losing the country which is the sole place of refuge for Jews should the world once again choose to follow the insanity which has gripped it so many times in history culminating in the horrors of the Nazi camps.

Beyond the Cusp