NY Times Admits Palestinians Are Mostly At Fault For Peace Failure

Here’s something you’ll almost never see in the leftist NY Times: the Editorial Board telling the whole truth when it comes to Palestinian terrorism

Mahmoud Abbas Gives Up on Peace

The sad political reality behind Mahmoud Abbas’s “bombshell” declarationon Wednesday that the Palestinians no longer regard themselves as bound by the Oslo Peace Accords is that there was so little left to disown.

Worked out between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators in secrecy, the Oslo Accords launched what has been known ever since as “the peace process,” a series of staged actions that were supposed to lead to a final peace settlement. When Yitzhak Rabin and Yasir Arafat shook hands on the White House lawn 22 years ago, it seemed that the way to an Israeli-Palestinian peace based on the existence of two states was finally open.

But it was not long before the optimistic timetable broke down amid suicide bombings and other acts of terrorism, intifadas, rocket barrages, unceasing expansion of settlements, military clashes and ever more bitter mutual recriminations. Repeated bouts of negotiations collapsed; the last American attempt at getting talks going fell apart in 2014.

Yes, a little bit of Israel blaming in the settlements part. Of course, Israel won that territory by winning wars in which they were attacked by other Middle Eastern nations. Israel wants peace. When they have their civilian population constantly attacked by terrorists, they will respond. And did respond. Virtually everything they’ve done, including the building of walls, has been in response to attacks out of the Palestinian areas.

Bombshell or not, it is not a speech to be lightly dismissed. Mr. Abbas is among the last of Mr. Arafat’s generation of leaders who led the Palestinians from brutal terrorism to recognition of the state of Israel, and the Oslo Accords represented enormous concessions both by them and by the tough Israeli pioneers Mr. Rabin so nobly represented. There is no point in playing the tedious and useless blame game; Mr. Abbas has certainly made his share of errors and many powerful Palestinian figures long ago turned from negotiation to violence against Israel and Israelis. But the failure of everyone — Palestinians, Israelis and Americans — to build on the promise of Oslo is a tragedy for all.

There can only be peace between two parties when both parties act in a peaceful manner. Other Middle Eastern players, most notably Iran and Syria, as well as Saddam era Iraq, have supported the terrorist attacks on Israel. A 2014 poll showed that 89% of Palestinians support terror attacks on Israel.

Terrorism from Palestine was institutionalized when Hamas became a recognized political party.

Yes, Israel is not entirely without fault. But, the basic fact is this: don’t attack Israel, and they won’t attack back. Until leaders step up in Palestine and work towards peace, rather than yammering about it, there won’t be.

Crossed at Pirate’s Cove. Follow me on Twitter @WilliamTeach.

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