What
the Palestinians and Arabs Think of Kerry's New Ideas
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It is hard to see how Abbas would
be able to retract his position now that the Arab League has also rejected
Kerry's ideas. Kerry will now have to launch a new diplomatic campaign to
convince the Arab League to change its position. And for the Arab countries
to do that really would take a miracle.
The Palestinian Authority does not like U.S. Secretary of State John
Kerry's latest ideas for peace between the Palestinians and Israelis.
The Palestinians especially do not like Kerry's proposal that Israel
maintain a military presence in the Jordan Valley if and when a Palestinian
state is established next to Israel.
Kerry, however, does not seem to be impressed with the Palestinians'
rejection of his ideas. He appears convinced that immense pressure on the
Palestinians will eventually force them to succumb.
Palestinian Authority officials complained this week that Kerry is
obviously not taking them seriously. "Although the Palestinian
Authority leadership has turned down his ideas, Kerry continues to exert
heavy pressure on us because he thinks he can impose his will on us,"
remarked a senior Palestinian official in Ramallah. "Of course, Kerry
is living in an illusion if he thinks we would change our position."
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who briefed Arab foreign
ministers in Cairo on December 21, repeated
his opposition to Kerry's ideas. Before that, Abbas sent a letter to
President Barack Obama expressing reservations about Kerry's proposals.
Abbas has even won the backing
of the Arab League for his stance. So it is not only the Palestinians
who are now saying no to Kerry, but the Arab countries too. "The U.S.
proposals achieved Israeli expansionist demands, and guaranteed [Israel's]
continued control of [the Jordan Valley] on the security pretext,"
said a statement released by the Arab League.
Arab League Secretary-General Nabil al-Araby said that not one Israeli
soldier could stay in the West Bank.
The Arab League's position is a severe blow to Kerry's ongoing efforts
to persuade the Palestinian Authority to accept his ideas. Having won the
backing of the Arab countries, Abbas now feels more confident to say no to
Kerry and his proposals.
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U.S. Secretary of
State John Kerry sits with PA President Mahmoud Abbas in Amman, Jordan,
on June 28, 2013. (Image source: U.S. State Department)
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When Kerry next returns to the region, Abbas will once again tell him
that he doesn't accept his ideas, particularly in the wake of the Arab
League's having also rejected them.
Abbas, however, seems to have a problem not only with the idea of
maintaining an Israeli military presence in the Jordan Valley.
A Palestinian official, who also said that Abbas had won backing from
the Arab countries for his stance, revealed that Abbas continues to stick to his
positions on a variety of issues pertaining to the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict -- positions that openly contadict most of the Israeli and
American demands.
The official summed up Abbas's position as follows:
- No
to a demilitarized Palestinian state;
- No
to recognizing Israel as a Jewish state;
- No
to a solution that does not include all of east Jerusalem as the
capital of a future Palestinian state;
- No
to another interim agreement with Israel and, of course,
- No
to the presence of any Israeli soldiers in the Jordan Valley.
The only two things that Abbas and the Arab League are prepared to
accept is a timetable for an Israeli withdrawal to the pre-1967 lines that
does not exceed three years, and an exchange of land "equal in size
and value" with Israel in cases where Israel retains any land beyond
the pre-1967 lines.
Until recently, the Palestinian rejection of Kerry's ideas was expressed
in a rather polite manner.
In the past few days, however, senior Palestinian Authority officials
have begun launching a scathing attack on Kerry, with some accusing him of
"endorsing" Israel's position on most issues related to the
conflict with Israel.
PLO Secretary-General Yasser Abed
Rabbo said that Kerry's proposals on security will lead to the
"total failure" of the peace talks with Israel. Kerry's ideas, he
added, have provoked a "real crisis." Abed Rabbo said that Kerry
"only wants to win over the Israelis and [allow] settlement expansion
at our expense."
In an interview with Voice of Palestine radio, Abed Rabbo continued his
unprecedented criticism of both Kerry and his proposals. "Washington
does not have the right to determine where our borders would be," he
declared. "We won't allow Israel to slice off any parts of our land.
If the Americans want, they can give Israel parts of California and
Washington. This land belongs to the Palestinians."
The Arab League's rejection of Kerry's ideas not only complicates his
efforts to achieve a deal between Palestinians and Israelis, but also ties
Abbas's hands. It is hard to see how Abbas would be able to retract his
position now that the Arab League has also rejected Kerry's ideas.
Kerry will now have to launch a new diplomatic campaign to convince the
Arab League to change its position. And for the Arab countries to do that
really would take a miracle.
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