Netanyahu Peace Outline A 'Declaration Of War': Palestinian Official

RAMALLAH, West Bank — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's parameters for a peace deal, outlined in a speech to the U.S. Congress on Tuesday, fell far short of what is needed to resume negotiations, Palestinian officials said.

Nabil Shaath, an aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said Netanyahu's insistence on keeping key parts of the territories the Palestinians want for their state is a "declaration of war against the Palestinians."

Israeli settlers, the Islamic militant Hamas and Netanyahu's moderate parliamentary opposition also expressed criticism.

The Palestinians want to establish their state in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, areas Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war. They have said they are ready for minor border adjustments through land swaps, to enable Israel to annex several of the largest of the dozens of Jewish settlements it has built on war-won land since 1967.

Netanyahu said Tuesday that he is willing to make "generous" territorial concessions, but also told Congress that Jerusalem must remain united as Israel's capital and that Israel wants to keep key areas of the West Bank where tens of thousands of Jews have settled, as well as areas of strategic importance.

Abbas is set to meet with leaders of the Palestine Liberation Organization and his Fatah movement on Wednesday to discuss their next move. The Palestinians have developed an alternate strategy to moribund negotiations, largely on hold since 2008, and have said they will seek U.N. recognition of their state in September.

Shaath said the Palestinians would continue to pursue these strategies. "We have nothing but to continue our struggle in the international arena and to continue building our state and to continue our popular struggle," he said, referring to demonstrations and protests against Israel. "We don't have a partner for peace," he said.

In two policy speeches in recent days, President Barack Obama said that the pre-1967 war line must serve as the basis for negotiations, while allowing for mutually agreed land swaps. The Palestinians have said negotiations can resume only if Netanyahu commits to that principle and halts settlement construction.

"What Netanyahu said in his speech tonight is a clear rejection of the suggestions of President Obama concerning the borders of 1967," said Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rdeneh. "Actually, what he did is that he put more obstacles in the path of peace."

In Gaza, the Islamic militant Hamas was equally critical. "Netanyahu denied us all our rights," said Sami Abu Zuhri, a spokesman. "We must work to adopt an Arab and Palestinian strategy based on the right of resistance."

In his speech, Netanyahu demanded that Abbas tear up his recent reconciliation agreement with Hamas, which seized Gaza four years ago and refuses to recognize Israel.

Under the unity deal, the two sides are to forge a transition government until elections are held. Abbas has rejected criticism of the deal, saying he would set policy and that the transition government would consist of independent professionals, not politicians from either Hamas or Fatah.

Netanyahu's speech also drew criticism from some quarters in Israel. Jewish settlers reacted angrily to Netanyahu's willingness to cede parts of the West Bank, while the centrist opposition said Netanyahu offered nothing new to promote peace efforts with the Palestinians.

Dani Dayan, head of the West Bank settlers' council, said he "really did not like" Netanyahu's admission that some settlements will be outside Israel's final borders. "I console myself with it being theoretical because of course nothing will grow from this move," he told Israel's Channel 2 TV.

Speaking on the same program, Shaul Mofaz, a leading member of the centrist opposition Kadima Party, said Netanyahu "just said over and over again that he doesn't intend to do anything, he does not have a plan and doesn't intend to reach an agreement."

He warned that Netanyahu is "bringing us toward conflict" and said Israel would be best off holding new elections.

___

Associated Press writers Ian Deitch in Jerusalem and Ibrahim Barzak in Gaza contributed to this report.

Comments

[Raglimidechi]

09:56 PM on 05/28/2011

Declaration of war? That's nonsense. But Palestinians can't expect Israelis to go along with a political arrangement that renders their country indefensible. Recall that UNSC Resolution 242 calls for Israel to have defensible borders. But Israelis remain surrounded by intransigent enemies vastly more numerous than they. To defend itself, Israel must maintain control of the Jordan rift valley and the Judean hills, must control the air space over the West Bank, and must be able to protect its vital transportation arteries from attack. Clearly all of this means that the West Bank must be demilitarized. Nothing about this is new, except that the Israeli government is openly outlining it. But what are the odds that Palestinians will agree to accommodate these vital Israeli needs?

[misaacm]

01:02 PM on 05/27/2011

I'm betting that pretty much anything that Netanyahu (or any other Israeli official) said, outside of total surrender, would be seen as a "declaration of war". Nothing new here. Just more Palestinian intransigence.

[nlkatz]

07:26 AM on 05/27/2011

When the Arabs put down their weapons, peace will reign. But, when Israel puts down its weapons, there will not be an Israel.

One can't help but get the distinct sense that this is exactly what the Arabs wish...!!

[PragmaticZionist]

01:23 AM on 05/27/2011

so this whole time with Hamas calling for Israel's destruction and firing rockets was peacetime?

[nycpaladin]

11:55 PM on 05/26/2011

I Received:
Sunday, 08 May 2011 14:47
Dr. Arieh Eldad:
I was instrumental in establishing the Israeli National Skin Bank, which is the largest in the world. The National Skin Bank stores skin for every day needs as well as for war time or mass casualty situations.

This skin bank is hosted at the Hadassah Ein Kerem University hospital in Jerusalem where I was the Chairman of plastic surgery. This is how I was asked to supply skin for an Arab woman from Gaza , who was hospitalized in Soroka Hospital in Beersheva, after her family burned her. Usually, such atrocities happen among Arab families when the women are suspected of having an affair.

We supplied all the needed Homografts for her treatment. She was successfully treated by my friend and colleague, Prof. Lior Rosenberg and discharged to return to Gaza . She was invited for regular follow-up visits to the outpatient clinic in Beersheva.

One day she was caught at a border crossing wearing a suicide belt.

She meant to explode herself in the outpatient clinic of the hospital where they saved her life.

It seems that her family promised her that if she did that, they would forgive her.

This is only one example of the war between Jews and Muslims in the Land of Israel .It is not a territorial conflict. This is a civilizational conflict, or rather a war between civilization

[nycpaladin]

12:30 AM on 05/27/2011

"a war between civilization

[nycpaladin]

02:58 AM on 05/27/2011

2nd try: " a war between civilization

[nycpaladin]

11:54 PM on 05/26/2011

II Received:

I have never written before asking to please forward onwards, so that as many as possible can understand radical Islam and what awaits the world if it is not stopped.

Dr Arieh Eldad

[DC]

04:27 AM on 05/27/2011

You are a propagandist.

This account was also given by Bibi to the US Congress last week. The purpose of the story to create hate against others, but citing examples of extreme insane behavior. We do not even know if it is true. But that does not matter.

Insanity can be found everywhere among all peoples -- it is those who use such examples to create hate and distrust of other groups who are to be pitied.

[abesthoughts]

12:30 PM on 05/26/2011

ADVANCE TO TIME: 2:50
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TG0vdzrmt4

[Margaret Mlekush]

08:38 AM on 05/26/2011

while some here CLAIM I know nothing about Plaetinian concentration or refugee camps I printed alctually pictures of them on Faacebook and organizations like Free Plaestine have photos of those camps, the largest just outsdie Jerusalem............And I know all that FOR CERTAIN not to be propoganda since I have been to the Middle East and looked at the camps MYSELF........When a person tortures another his LYING about matters might waylay punishment by fello moprtals but it LENGTHENS and grows the wrath the sadist will receive from GOD..........

[zenju2]

03:47 AM on 05/26/2011

Unlike many commenters and pundits who (apparently) did not listen to or read the text of the speeches of Netanyahu and Obama, I paid attention and saw merit in what each man had to say, as well as issues that should be clarified and points that might not be ideal. Any reasonable, rational solution to our conflict must involve creative thinking, compromise and cooperation. There's just no way around that. I disagree with Netanyahu on this: We CAN share Jerusalem as capitol of both Israel and Palestine. We need to pull back from the West Bank, with reasonable land swaps for security and demographic change. But Israel has the right to insist on a demilitarised Palestine and monitoring posts along the Jordan River, at least for a time of cooling down and building long-term confidence. A stable Kindom of Jordan can be a useful ally and partner in this, along with fostering close economic ties, for the benefit of all in the region. The "right of return" is NOT going to happen, apart from a symbolic gesture and compensation. Some may choose resettlement in the new Palestine, others in Arab lands, others elsewhere. That's just reality.

[Accouder]

01:26 AM on 05/26/2011

To all you Israeli supporters out there I would ask that you just try for once reading what some Jews think of the present day state.

http://www.israeli-occupation.org/2011-05-25/uri-avnery-bibi-and-the-yo-yos/

[discocapper]

01:16 PM on 05/26/2011

Unlike the Palestinians Jews are allowed to disagree with their government, even when they're wrong.

[Michael II]

04:00 AM on 05/27/2011

You missed the hunger strike in Ramallah and the March 15 movement perhaps: http://maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=378238

[DC]

04:28 AM on 05/27/2011

But Israeli Palestinians, or Arab Israelis, or Christian Arab Israelis are not allowed. Only the citizens of Israel who are Jewish, right?

[Danny Dan]

10:12 PM on 05/25/2011

We'll see how the border crossing fares for the palestinians.
I see Egyptians not likng the effect in short order.
Where are the resources for all these arabs.
THERE AREN"T ANY.
AntiSemites are alive every where.

[Yank in France]

05:35 PM on 05/25/2011

A MESSAGE TO ARABS STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM

Like many people in the West, I am really excited about the Arab uprisings calling for representative government and an end to corruption.

And like many Europeans and Americans, I am impressed by the courage of people demonstrating for freedom at their own peril!

The United States government is now trying to maneouvre into a positon that makes it appear that it support democracy in the Arab world when it has only supported regimes, such as Mubarak's Egypt and King Hussein's Jordan, that collaborated with Egypt.

Each American government has promised that it would intervene with Israel to influence it to make peace on a bare minimum of fair and just terms.

But my Arab friends wherever you are, I am one American who warns you: DO NOT BE FOOLED!!

The man who just spoke before Congress is Israel's leader, not the American president, but he achieved 59 rounds of applause during his speech in which he argued against peace based on the pre-1967 boundaries.

Netanyahu says he will compromise but that there are just do too many Jews in the occupied lands to ask them to move out. So they will stay, with the JEWS ONLY road networks, their armed guards, their buffer zones, which equal the amount of land they actually occupy.

Netanyahu's message to the American Congress was that he supported a Palestinians state, as long as it had no armed forces, no control over its air or sea spaces and remained dependent on Israel to transport citizens from Gaza to the West Bank or even between points wihtin the WB.

In short, Netanyahu really opposed a Palestinian state, just as he always has and he was applauded 59 times!!

So my Arab friends, I sincerely hope you reject terrorism, because they you and us nowhere. But, by all means, do not believe for a second that the United States is your friend: it is a loyal and obedient friend of the most anti-Arab political parties in Israel!!

So fight for democracy because representative government will make you stronger and better. Please feel to work with pro-Palestinian Americans, and there are millions of us (!!), but if you governments in Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Egypt continue to accept aid from America, you are accepting a poisoned gift.

So I hope you also summon the courage to "just say no" to Uncle Sam!!

[Danny Dan]

10:18 PM on 05/25/2011

Most arabs who want freedom move to the west.
WHERE arer the DEMOCRATIC Institutions.
ISRAEL where they debate the topics not in Arab states where
violence is all thats left.

[Duppy]

05:01 PM on 05/25/2011

Nice so Democrats in congress threw Obama under the bus on this issue.

[Yank in France]

05:38 PM on 05/25/2011

Well, the Dems had to choose between Israel and their president: what could we expect!

-:)

[Danny Dan]

10:13 PM on 05/25/2011

Lip service,thats what everyone gets.

[curtisraymond]

04:50 PM on 05/25/2011

Sooo, if Israel does nothing and takes more land who will stop them? They've been doing this for 44 years. Old habits are hard to change. And they will not stop.

[Michael II]

03:22 AM on 05/26/2011

2011 is not 2002. Egypt will open the Rafah border normally as of Saturday. This signals that Egypt is talking control of it own policy towards Gaza. Given the pressure growing in the Arab countries, it would not be surprising if even peaceful Jordan takes measures to balance its relations with Palestine.

There have been incidents along the northern border with Lebanon and along the Syrian border already. If Israel has also to start manning the border with Egypt, how is it going to manage? What proportion of the budget will be going into troops? Is this the sort of place anyone would want to emigrate to?

There was an opportunity to be part of the movement rather than trying to go against the course of history. I'm afraid that Netanyahu, pushed by the Knesset, killed that opportunity in Washington.

[madkoz]

04:24 PM on 05/25/2011

Gaza.