The Times of Israel has posted President Abbas’s letter to Benjamin Netanyahu. It’s difficult to read for the degree of humiliation it expresses. Key excerpt:
Mr. Prime Minister
Our historic Peace Proposal is still waiting for an answer from Israel.
• We agreed to establish the State of Palestine on only 22% of the territory of historical Palestine-on all the Palestinian Territory occupied by Israel in 1967.
• The establishment of independent Palestinian State that can live side-by-side with the State of Israel in peace and security on the borders of 1967 with mutually agreed swaps equal in size and value.
• Security will be guaranteed by a third party accepted by both, to be deployed on the Palestinian side.
• A just and agreed resolution for the refugees’ problem as specified in the Arab Peace Initiative.
• Jerusalem will serve as a capital of two States. East Jerusalem capital of Palestine. West Jerusalem capital of Israel. Jerusalem as an open city can be the symbol of peace.Mr. Prime Minister,
Twenty years ago, we concluded with Israel an agreement under international auspices which was intended to take the Palestinian people from occupation to independence. Now, as a result of actions taken by successive Israeli governments, the Palestinian National Authority no longer has any authority, and no meaningful jurisdiction in the political, economic, social, territorial and security spheres. In other words, the P.A. lost its reason d’être.
In recognition of the above and in furtherance of the peace process and the agreements we signed with Israel, which were premised on international legitimacy, international law, and internationally-recognized terms of reference, we call on the Government of Israel to do the following:
1- Accept the two-state solution on the 1967 borders with possible minor and mutually agreed upon land swaps of equal size and value;
2- Stop all settlement activities, including in East Jerusalem;
3- Release all prisoners, in particular those imprisoned prior to the end of 1994; and
4- Revoke all decisions taken since 2000 which undermine agreements signed between Israel and the PLO.Should the Government of Israel refuse to honor these above-referenced obligations, we will seek the full and complete implementation of international law as it pertains to the powers and responsibilities of Israel as occupying power in all of the occupied Palestinian territory.
For the Palestinian Authority—now stripped of all meaningful authority—cannot continue to honor agreements while Israel refuses to even acknowledge its commitments. The P.A. is no longer as was agreed and this situation cannot continue.Mr. Prime Minister
I strongly believe that both our peoples yearn for peace. As leaders, it’s our historic task to make it happen. Let’s not fail our peoples.
Sad that this important statement was not made earlier. Humiliating? Merely a statement of fact. Also close to what (prisoner) Barghouti called for: an end to cooperation with Israel. Also suggests a call on the (vastly unwilling to act) international community to do what? to act! to enforce the IHL: “we will seek the full and complete implementation of international law as it pertains to the powers and responsibilities of Israel as occupying power in all of the occupied Palestinian territory.”
In fact, it is time for a more important step — reconstitution, if still possible, of PLO LOCATED OUTSIDE OPTs and funded independent (so far as possible) of USA, Israel.
Sounds like Abbas is taking Yossi Beilin’s advice.
http://972mag.com/the-man-who-invented-the-pa-calls-to-shut-it-down/40218/
If he had the nerve to run for office Abbas could not even be elected dog catcher.
I don’t think it’s humiliating. Israel has made decisions and will have to live with the consequences. I bought a French magazine- Geo histoire- and the issue was devoted to the history of the French in Algeria. There came a time for the French where it was too late to negotiate . Israel is headed in the same direction.
“I strongly believe that both our peoples yearn for peace” Maybe the Israelis do but they never show it.
Humiliation? Absolutely not. If the Palestinian leadership carry through with this then they will have stopped the endless humiliation of the “peace process” and finally taken control by offering the Israeli’s a choice – a “Jewish state” on the 1967 borders or a single state. If the outcome is a single state then no one will be able to blame the Palestinians for destroying “the Jewish state”, Israel will have brought it upon itself through its greed and intransigence.