The end result of all this is the Israeli statement about having no partner in peace, a cultural icon now prevalent within Israel and the U.S. but not supported elsewhere. It is the Israelis not wanting ‘peace’ as that would necessarily constrain there initial ambition to control all of Eretz Israel.
Partners in crime – the settlements
The article continues arguing about the settlement deal reached between the United States and Israel. The overwhelming obvious lack here (or at least it should be obvious) is that this agreement was between partners in crime and not with the Palestinians. As usual with these settlement agreements, the reality on the ground is that the settlements would continue to be built as the Israelis continued their verbal charade of complying with the agreement.
Rubin argues that the settlement deal was a “huge concession” even though it did not apply to Jerusalem. I would have to ask how a “huge concession” can be envisioned when it does not include the huge settlements that are being built in Jerusalem with the direct intent of eliminating the Palestinian population – but above all, how can it be a concession of any kind when settlements in occupied territories are illegal under international law? Of course, Israel, with the support of the U.S., has continually flaunted international law and disregards it completely.
Laughable solution (tragically)
Rubin’s rather laughable solution in a tragic-comic farcical sense is “If the Palestinian leadership wanted to end the “occupation” [why is that quoted as if it is not a fact?] and get rid of settlements [ahh, I get it – get rid of settlements, but not necessarily all of them!] on its territory [aha, so it is their territory after all! So it must be occupied…!] there’s a simple solution. It need merely negotiate peace with Israel as soon as possible.” Really? These negotiations, mostly between the U.S. and Israel, have been ongoing for decades and have only succeeded in extending Israeli domination over Palestinian territory. And there is no way that Israel will give up its settlements, a few “outposts” perhaps [there, I can use useless quotes too!] but nothing significant if at all elsewhere, and they certainly will not give up territory around Jerusalem nor would they allow full sovereign control to any territory deemed Palestinian by the partners in crime.
In his final statement, he indicates that the “PA’s rejections of peace” is in order to “keep the door open for total victory, to avoid compromising, to prevent internal conflict, it is willing….to use both real and fictional suffering as leverage in an attempt to get far more.” Hmm, the pot calling the kettle black? Not even that. It is a true irrational reversal of what Israel is doing to the Palestinians, delaying, stalling, causing suffering, and, especially within the U.S., using fiction to leverage everything to their advantage.
Charades
The Palestinians are not passive as witnessed by the many events occurring within the occupied territories, nor should they be represented that way, nor should it be argued that they are creating this view of passivity. These are Rubin’s constructs to present an illogical and false argument against the Palestinians. There has never been any “peace agreement” of any substance that has ever been presented to the Palestinians, only the ongoing charade between Israel and the United States, neither of whom truly cares about the Palestinians. The charade is for public consumption and the creation of a false mythology of leaderless terrorists attacking a passive Israel.
What happens with Abbas now remains as conjecture. Will he stay? Will he go? Is he truly refusing to negotiate with Israel? Or is he simply recognizing the real situation in that there is nothing to negotiate when Israel holds all the power, and is backed by the U.S.? Is he perhaps simply recognizing that negotiations under these conditions will simply be the ongoing charade of the U.S. championing Israeli rights, hoping and wishing that the Palestinians will acquiesce, roll over and play dead? To truly be passive?
Regardless, Rubin’s article [3]only adds to the Israeli obfuscation of the situation, attempting to make the Palestinians the guilty party in their own occupation.
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[1] Baroud, Ramzy. The Second Palestinian Intifada – A Chronicle of a People’s Struggle. Pluto Press, London, 2006. p.21.
[2]1 Rinehart, Tanya. Israel/Palestine – How to end the war of 1948. Seven Stories Press, New York, 2005. p.35.
Note: there are many other sources that support the two cited above.
[3]Rubin, Barry. “Abbas isn’t going anywhere. There’s no peace deal in the Middle East because Palestinian leadership doesn’t want one.” Vancouver Sun. Saturday, November 28, 2009. Also available at:
http://www.vancouversun.com/opinion/Abbas+going+anywhere/2279878/story.html
