Palestinians and the two-state solution

     DQ here.  In an earlier comment, Clint puts forth the premise that the Palestinians would accept a two-state solution, his proof being a 30-year-old Syrian UN resolution.  Well, being the least well informed of anyone in this discussion, this sent me off to do a little research.  I found some interesting web sites I thought I’d share with everyone:

     A Palestinian Media Watch page that focuses on the difference between the face the Palestinians (especially Hamas) shows the Western world and the face it shows its own citizens.  As the site demonstrates, while Israel’s enemies do sometimes make it a point to sound concilliatory when addressing the Western world, in the hopes of convincing folks like Clint of their innocent intentions, they sing a very different tune when they are talking among themselves.  One of the most interesting articles is entitled “Hamas plans to kidnap Israeli soldiers to trade for imprisoned terrorists” and is dated February 15, 2006.  They announced what they were going to do, and why, months before they did it, yet folks like Clint (or Dodgy, I can’t remember which) argue with apparent belief that Israel started it all by kidnapping folks in Gaza.

     A BBC new report that notes that “It [Hamas] also has a long-term aim of establishing an Islamic state on all of historic Palestine – most of which has been contained within Israel’s borders since its creation in 1948.”  Hard to imagine BBC as being biased against Hamas and in favor of Israel, so this rings true.  Of course, this long term goal would mean the destruction of Israel.  This points up the fact that insofar as Hamas and other enemies of Israel view a two-state solution as acceptable at all, they see it only as a temporary step on the way to the destruction of Israel.

     A Foundation for Middle East Peace article (Someone please tell me whether this is an unbiased source) that notes that “Hamas published its official charter in 1988 calling for the creation of an Islamic Waqf in Palestine and the destruction of Israel.”  Apparently, while some sites I visited mentioned (I think wishfully) that Hamas is becoming more moderate, it has never repudiated this goal.

     An obviously pro-Israel site with links to Hamas videos.  Unless these videos are fakes, they appear to confirm, with words and pictures by Hamas itself, that it still plans to destroy Israel.  So much for its moderation. 

     A worldpress.org article that begins, “At a conference in Tehran on Wednesday entitled “The World without Zionism,” President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called for Israel to be “wiped off the map.”  An ABC news report on the same subject.

     Another Palestinian Media Watch page with extensive links to Palestinian videos calling for the destruction of Israel.  How many times do the Palestinians themselves have to say it before Clint & Dodgy (and the mainstream American left) believe them?

     As for Syria, how about a Washington Post report that, in a sidebar describes Hezbollah as follows:  “Hezbollah, which is supported and armed by Syria and Iran, seeks the eventual destruction of Israel.”  Or consider a year and a half old U.S.A. Today article that notes:  “Syria, with Iran, is among the major backers of the Lebanon-based Hezbollah terrorist group, which is dedicated to the destruction of Israel. If Lebanon were to sign a peace agreement with Israel, Syria would be the only Arab country technically at war with Israel.”  Not exactly new news, it is?  No wonder Clint had to go back 30 years to find a Syrian initiative that didn’t involve the destruction of Israel. 

      Look, I realize that most of Bookworm’s readers, being much better informed and well-read than I am could come up with a far better list of links than the rather random list above, but if someone as unfamiliar with the key web sites as I am can do a list like the above in an hour or so of Googling, I think the point is made.  Clint, Dodgy and so many other well-meaning people believe the best of Israel’s enemies, but those enemies do not even attempt to hide their intentions, especially when talking to their own people.  Israel can hardly afford to assume that the Palestinian leadership is merely posturing and lying, especially as they pick the dead bodies of their women and children from the rubble of the latest human bomb explosion or the latest rocket attack.