Live updates on the Palestine papers at War in Context. Tariq Ali incredulous, Akiva Eldar– our leaders lied when they said there is no partner for peace, Clayton Swisher– this land swap is like desert lots in Arizona for Manhattan real estate (as Paul Woodward puts it). Rashid Khalidi is on Democracy Now today talking about the papers proving the Israelis are rejectionists, and showing the depths of the lobby. For the papers reveal:
the degree to which the United States is twisting the arm of the Palestinians, the degree to which American diplomats, whether Hillary Rodham Clinton or Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during the previous administration, are unsympathetic to the Palestinians and are in cahoots, in Aaron David Miller’s words, our lawyers for Israel—it’s actually worse than Miller, who was involved in the negotiations for many years, says, from these documents.
Noam Sheizaf:
For years, Israel has used the peace process as a way to hold back international pressure on the Palestinian issue. It will be harder to do so from now on. This will be Netanyahu’s greatest problem.
Nadia Hijab (FT, but linked by War in Context)
these new leaks reveal that it is the PLO/PA that has been making the generous offers, and Israel has been rejecting them. If the documents are to be believed, almost all of East Jerusalem has been on the table. Perhaps this time we should be grateful Israel hasn’t signed.
Jerry Haber:
Israel thinks it holds all the cards and knows that it is under no pressure to give an inch. Abu Ala’ in effect gave Tzipi Livni and Ehud Olmert Yerushalayim on a silver platter. And according to these documents, anyway, the Israelis did not even make a counter-offer.
What also strikes me is the complete absence of Israeli give-and-take at all.
MJ Rosenberg echoes the point:
On no major issue did the PA hold the line. None.
The Palestinians offered Israel everything Israel wants and Israel still said “no” with the backing of the United States.
Dimi Reider says:
1. Israeli media reported over the last hour that a small Palestinian crowd attemped to storm the Ramallah offices of Al Jazeera, but was rebuffed by PA police
2. Erekat just released the statement [below]. He describes the choice to term the release of entire documents as “out of context”:
Erekat statement:
For Immediate Release
January 24, 2011
Palestine Liberation Organization
Negotiations Affairs Department
Dr. Erakat: Statement on the Al Jazeera “Palestine Papers”
In the past few hours, a number of reports have surfaced regarding our positions in our negotiations with Israel, many of which have misrepresented our positions, taking statements and facts out of context. Other allegations circulated in the media have been patently false. But any accurate representation of our positions will show that we have consistently stood by our people’s basic rights and international legal principles.Indeed, our position has been the same for the past 19 years of negotiations: we seek to establish a sovereign and independent Palestinian State along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital and to reach a just solution to the refugee issue based on their international legal rights, including those set out in UNGA 194. What an accurate record will show is that we have insisted that any solution be grounded in principles of international law, which Israel has consistently refused to accept or recognize.
Even though many ideas have been discussed by the two sides as part of the normal negotiations process, including some we could never agree to, we have consistently said any proposed agreement would have to gain popular support through a national referendum. No agreement will be signed without the approval of the Palestinian people.
The main issue remains that Israel continues to colonize our land, denying the rights of the Palestinian people, and in particular our refugees. These issues must be addressed and our rights must be respected. That can only happen with genuine commitment on the part of Israel, first and foremost, but also that of the international community which must help us achieve a regional peace based on principles of international law.
