Is convergence the object of the peace process negotiations

By Ted Belman

I attended a briefing today by an employee of the government who was very involved with everything going on in J&S.

He  said many things of importance. This is what I can remember and my thoughts on what was said.

1. Israel wants the EU and US Aid to continue financing projects in Area C even if this means that the EU has a say in what, when and why of the projects. Thus we are relinquishing our independence or control for this money. The sad thing is that the money involved is a little over $1 billion dollars, just a third of what we get from the US. Better to forfeit the $1 billion and remain in control of J&S.

2. No one including Kerry has confidence in the peace process so why is Kerry pushing it. That’s because it is a cover for a hidden agenda which he would not disclose.

I believe the hidden agenda is to define what settlements will remain in Israel and what will be abandoned. If they can come to terms on this then Israel would be able to build as much as she wants in the blocs that are ceded to her and will refrain from building in the rest. The Palestinian’s would have succeeded in stopping Israel construction in most of Area C.

Israel would have solved the illegal settlement accusation and would be free to build excessively in what has been conceded to her. Of course this means that she will start incentivising the Israelis in the doomed settlements to start evacuating them. This could be done over a five year period as new homes become available for them to move into. Previous administrations called it “convergence”.

3. Both Israel and the US want Abbas and Fatah to remain in power to prevent Hamas from taking over. In my opinion, it may be that Israel agreed to the prisoner release as an aid to Abbas to enhance his appeal to ward off Hamas. Considering that Abbas agreed to enter negotiations and may have agreed to make an interim deal on housing construction he would need this release to cover his ass.

4. Israel supports the building of Rawabi and the new city near Jericho because it concentrates the Arabs and prevents small enclaves from being built. Thus the plan for the city near Jericho is to house the many Arabs living all throughout the Jordan Valley. This is what Israel is trying to do with the Bedouin sprawl in the Negev.

5. We are really talking about a three state solution, Gaza, Palestine and Israel. Very few expect a reconciliation between Gaza and Palestine.

Thus they don’t have to be connected. Abbas keeps spending half his budget on paying former Fatah employees living in Gaza. This is to maintain his influence over Gaza but this is a futile exercise. It won’t go on for ever. Some say we are talking about a four state solution if we include Jordan. To this end, Jordan is involved in the talks.

6.The Palestinians have little interest in their environment, sewage treatment, air quality, town planning etc. That’s why Palestine would be a horrible neighbour. Another reason to avoid the TSS.

7.  College grads in the West Bank (J&S) have an unemployment rate of 28%. They represent a destabilizing influence. Israel is trying to raise GDP believing that the better the economic well being, the less terrorism. One person in addtendance took issue with this saying there was no study supporting it.

Currently Jewish births exceed 130,000 while Arab births in Israel and J&S are about 80,000. When we factor in Jewish immigration of 20,000 a year and Arab emigration of 20,000 per year, 150,000 Jews are added to our numbers each year as against only 60,000 Arabs. Looking real good.

Note: Most of what I have written here is my expansion of what wass said rather then a paraphrasing of what was said.

August 14, 2013 | 34 Comments »

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  1. Overall Vinnie is IMO quite correct but one day these warring Muslims might just wake up & decide to try again & attack us.
    At the moment however there is just too much fluidity – how does Jordan figure in all this? S Arabia doesn’t want Jordan to fall.
    We need Jordan with its playboy King.
    Egypt – How much of a sissy is Sisi? Will Lebanon try and expel Hezbollah? Will Israel bomb Iran?
    Iraq is imploding back to tribalism in a very explosive manner!
    And Israel, believe me, is Gan Eden.
    The time has come to insist that we do not meet with the likes of Ashton in Israel – only in Brussels.
    If EU is making problems then they should stay away
    They are almost as bad as UN – same applies to their officials
    We need a diplomatic way of saying F..k off to these people

  2. @ bernard ross:

    OK, here’s why recognition is important.

    First, because recognizing a Jewish state of Israel as the legitimate sovereign on land that was part of the holy Moslem “waqf” or whatever goes against the basic tenet of Islam, as it is interpreted and practiced by most in the region, that land once ruled over by Moslems can NEVER be ceded to non-Moslems, ESPECIALLY to the “third tier” Abrahamic faith of Judaism. So, if the Moslem leaders of the Arabs Who Call Themselves Palestinians did this, it would be a massive affront to the Islamist fundamentalists who still pretty much call the shots throughout the region in one form or another. As such, it would be a death sentence to whomever did this, Abbas or otherwise.

    But, even if Abbas could somehow avoid the fate of Sadat, there are other issues.

    Recognizing Jewish Israel as legitimate, and formalizing this by amending the Palestinian National Charter accordingly – this is what Israel demands and rightly so – confers upon Jewish Israel the same rights of any other legitimate sovereign state: to include the right of self-defense. So, when the Palis start shooting rockets into Israel from the PA state in J&S, then Israel now has the full unmitigated indsiputable right of self defense as a sovereign state in the eyes of the world community.

    Now, you may say they already have this among others, or that due to anti-Semitism, they will never really have this, but that is not the point. The long-term goal of the Saudi-based game plan of destroying Jewish Israel is based on delegitimization. They tried conventional military force; by 1982, it was clear this would not work. They tried conventional regional political/economic isolation; it turned out Israel didn’t need diplomatic or economic relations with her immediate neighbors so much, and thrived off of trade outside the region. So, all that is left to them is to undermine Israel’s very legitimacy in the manner that was applied to white minority-ruled Rhodesia in the 70s, or Apartheid S. Africa after that. You see, an “illegitimate” state has no “rights” of any kind. This forms the basis of the BDS movement today, and it is hoped, in the wake of Israeli reaction to a third Intifada, formalized sanctions and boycotts via the UN or regional entities such as the EU. But, if the Palis themselves formally recognize the legitimacy of Jewish Israel, the entire basis for the campaign to turn Israel into a modern-day Rhodesia is eliminated. As a corollary to this, whatever the Palis agree to, as long as they don’t have to recognize Israel as a legitimate Jewish state, can thus be easily abrogated when convenient in the eyes of the Palis and their supporters, since one cannot be held to the terms of an agreement signed with an “illegitimate” entity, in much the same sense as one cannot be bound to a contract signed with a minor.

    The Pali leadership is well aware of these issues. That is why they cannot even formally agree to recgonize Israel as a Jewish state in bad faith; once they do this, they have undermined the ideological basis for the outside support of their movement. Israel as a Jewish state becomes a permanent fact of life, unless Iran or someone else simply nukes them, which destroys the Palis as well. So, for them, the “Iranian solution” is no solution at all.

    Thus, the PA/PLO cannot ever agree to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. Yes, BB can and probably will use this objection to avoid signing an agreement, but he instead should use this as a legitimate pretext to not negotiate with them at all, and to crush them outright if they launch another Intifada. Unfortunately, he does not seem to have the cahones to do this. I hope at some point Israel has a leader who will.

    What BB will do is make a bunch of concessions in order to prove to the Obama/Kerry types, the EU, the media, etc., that he really “wants” peace, and then pull the plug over the recognition issue, making the Palis out to be the spoilers. The trouble with this strategy is whatever concessions he makes will then be seen as legitimate sacrifices to be asked of Israel in the future, as the “starting point” for new talks. And, as long as the PA/PLO is allowed to exist, the pressure will continue for this indefinitely, along with the terrorism. The hope of the Palis and their supporters is that this unrelenting pressure will wear Israel down to the point where they will no longer harp on the recognition issue as an obstacle, sign an awful agreement…and usher in the sure death of Israel by a thousand cuts.

    This is why Israel has GOT to destroy the PA/PLO at the earliest opportunity. No escaping to Tunisia or anyting like that. They need to be stomped out of existence, no matter how much Obama, the UN, the EU, etc., jump up and down and scream, even if this means expulsion from the UN. There will NEVER be peace until Israel does this.

  3. Right, Left fight over haredi support on settlements
    Left convinced haredim willing to vote to evacuate settlements, while Right seek to advance building projects for haredi sector.

    Mitzna said haredi MKs have told him they cannot wait to take revenge against Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett for blocking their parties from entering the coalition. He said he could also see a scenario whereby haredi parties join the current coalition at Bayit Yehudi’s expense when the diplomatic talks with the Palestinians progress.

    http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Analysis-Right-Left-fight-over-haredi-support-on-settlements-323118

  4. @ yamit82: Good news Yamit82, Remember when you said to me any “flea market’ in the world for a year and you had deeeeep pockets? And I said I wanted to go to NT,NY to see Jackson Pollocks “Convergence” at the Gugginheim. Well “Convergence”and oter “gems of the Guggenheim” are coming to Denver!!, and I can easly gass up the road car and go. So you are safe, I shall keep my hands out your out your deeeeep pockets.

  5. yamit82 Said:

    Egypt will go to a civil war.

    How does this disagree with what I said?
    yamit82 Said:

    Lebanon is fast going back to sectarian warfare Large Bomb just exploded against Hezbollah in Beirut Iraq is an ongoing civil sectarian war

    This agrees exactly with what I have been saying for months: The sunni GCC that went to Syria will also open up in Lebanon and iraq. i think you don’t actually read what I say. When the Jihadis flowed in to Syria many moons ago I said we should watch to see whether they open next against hezbullah in lebanon or against israel. If on hezbullah instead of Israel i repeatedly said that would be the sign regarding an overall plan and aan overall understanding.
    yamit82 Said:

    My estimate is that no matter who comes out on top eventually in Egypt the agreement with Israel is History

    You may or may not be right,certainly I agree that it has not been positive but at the moment there appears to be close cooperation for whatever reason.
    yamit82 Said:

    Israel better better have plan A-B and even C operational when it does.

    therefore, we do agree on something 🙂

  6. @ bernard ross:

    I agree with absolutely NOTHING in your hypotheses.

    Egypt will go to a civil war. Most of the conscripts in the Egyptian army are sympathetic to the MB as well as a whole officer cadre.

    Lebanon is fast going back to sectarian warfare Large Bomb just exploded against Hezbollah in Beirut Iraq is an ongoing civil sectarian war since America quit.

    My estimate is that no matter who comes out on top eventually in Egypt the agreement with Israel is History and Israel better better have plan A-B and even C operational when it does.

  7. dbdent Said:

    They have NOT demonstrated in any way that they recognise a Jewish State of Israel

    actually, even if they did it would be as reliable as any other ‘peace’ terms. why does Israel even need this from them? Perhaps they will agree or perhaps not but I doubt it will be an issue blocking anything. i think its there mainly for a reason to pull out if BB wants to.

  8. Ted Belman Said:

    Israel has no obligation to swap land.

    Of course you are right. However, that is a legal and moral principle and Israel has not approached the issue with anything but a position of haggling over price in a casbah. I never hear of such positions stated by Israel in the past. i think that BB is going to reflect the majority polled Israeli position that Israel doesn’t want anything more of C than the large settlement blocks and possibly E1 for a connection. after a number of years if there is no agreement on swapping land, or if it is later turned down in a referendum, Israel will still be in physical control and in a border, legal dispute. Perhaps Israel will even agree to submit the specific haggle to the international court. it’s not what I want but what it looks like BB and Israel will agree to. BB did say he is for 2 states and that there will be a lot of sacrifice. Perhaps he views the arab peace deal, the global acceptance,the end of the refugee issue, no formal link to gaza and the preservation of existing settled jewish land(and no more) to be worth the price. obviously legal and moral issues have never been something Israel brings up regarding jewish rights to west bank.

  9. @ Ted Belman: here is another view of mine which is not mainstream: I believe that the apparent conflict of Obama with Sisi/Egypt is a complete red herring and that he even gave Sisi the green light for the coup. That the GCC,Sisi, US and even Israel are in agreement on this development. Obama can now be seen to be supporting democratic principles, international and US law, not getting US mired in unstable conflicts while at the same time his GCC partners fund Sisi. Sisi gets street credibility for a nationalistic position against the unpopular US. This is similar to the last 2 year tactic of Obama in his alliance to support the GCC in Syria while appearing to be cautious and on the fence, keeping america out of dangerous waters(as his electors want); benghazi exposed that the exact opposite was taking place. The fact is that Sisi is in unprecedented cooperation with Israel, US and I believe GCC in the Sinai. I think that Morsi tried to appeared to cooperate in sinai but not fully. There is also an ongoing story of Morsi connections to the assassination of Stevens in Benghazi.I believe that there will be a GCC attempt to replace top MB leadership with a new cadre of leaders more compliant with the GCC and the US. Apparently saudi is still paying MB jihadis to fight in syria for their “cause”. I think we will see a lot of rhetoric from the US but no actual harmful action against Sisi

  10. yamit82 Said:

    Where is the money coming from the pay the settlers off to leave? Israel hasn’t even resettled all of the Gush Katif settlers as of today.

    I think they will keep the large settlement blocks and give swaps for them. However,they will leave this swap and final border for the future so no referendum will be necessary. they might state provisional temprary borders with the formula of negotiations for swaps in the future for final borders. In the future they expect then after a number of years(10?according to guidelines article)that if the only issue then is swaps for, what will have become an overall stable peace deal with the arabs, the large settlements that Israel will choose to swap. If it doesn’t work out they will still be in control of those settlements. In the guidelines article it discusses giving outposts choice of citizenship: they will have the interim period to relocate under whatever incentives they provide or become pal citizens. Israel will withdraw from the outposts. They are not interested in C.
    Further, I suspect that they will make similar sovereignty arrangements on catholic sites similar to developments already taking place and similar to current jordanian agreements on muslim holy sites(which now have the pals in an agreement with jordan, giving support to Jordan)

  11. @ Ted Belman:
    I think it is all pretty much working out as I had suspected and predicted according to the latest unfolding stories on the “peace negotiations” especially the guidelines story which appears to have merit. There is a deal, there is a grand plan, the US/GCC has been working together and relates to Kurdish, Turkish,Jordanian,PA, and hamas involvement. I think Israel has been part of this and is moving to an interim deal that is related to an overall arab peace deal which involves Jordan in security and a possible confederation with the PA. It looks like Israel will settle for large settlement blocks with swaps and outposts will be left behind in ten years with residents having choice of citizenship. I think there will be an area in jerusalem given over to jordan/pal similar to jordanian authority over the mount and holy sites now. I think Israel is freezing at the status quo and will negotiate swaps for anything east of the fence. Israel will negotiate security handover over the period most likely under the terms of the existing Jordan israeli treaty with the pals under a confed subject to Jordanian supervision.
    I think that if one looks from the perspective of BB, etc. that the starting premises is that arabs will not be transferred and that israel does not want to absorb them. Starting from those premises the rest follows along with a couple more assumptions:
    I believe that they believe that the security management of gaza, lebanon, PA has been a success and is manageable with the same approaches they have been using. That they are not worried about a deteriorating west bank. I also believe that they believe that the security arrangements with egypt have survived various govts and will be similar to the arrangements with Jordan. I think they are disinterested in YS for future expansion and have no historical tie to it. I think they want to concentrate jewish settlement west of green line. Basically they want to keep what they have now but with security arrangements and a peace treaty. I believe they beleive a separate securty arrnagement can work and that they can go back if it fails. Gaza is their model and they feel it has been a success. The only positive light I see that they may want more of C in the future is that they are trying to concentrate arab development near to existing density centers(that giving of some c is connected to this). As the swaps will be subject to negotiation over a future period of time(10 years?)there will not need to be a referendum. Temporary provisional borders based on fence, major developments will probably bring an end to the “isolation” and acceptance by arab world. The interim period will give everyone the time to work out final details and accommodate to new reality. This is not what I want but what I expect to see based on my analysis of past and current events. I also think that a relationship with sunni GCC over syria and Iran is developing and related to the overall deal. It would be good to get a more thorough and accurate translation of the arabic publication of the gidelines as more appears in that which is of interest than elder of zion mentioned.

  12. I do not think that the Vatican here will be a hindrance . The new Pope is a friend of the Jews probably more so than many think.
    I suspect that the Arabs view the Pope as an enemy – they seem to hate Xianity as much a s Judaism.[Egypt for eg]
    If Gaza becomes a 3rd state and there is an agreement [ which I cannot see coming to any form of acceptance ] it would leave Israel free to attack & delete
    The placing of foreign NATO troops as mentioned above will lead to friction and loss of life
    Arabs will not honour any agreement because they want all
    They have NOT demonstrated in any way that they recognise a Jewish State of Israel

  13. There can not be a solution for NATO which is separate from the internationalising of Jerusalem. NATO must do this because Jews hold a pivotal role in history. In order for NATO to expand its power through the Middle East and incorporating Africa, Australia and South America then that Jewish presence must be negated. This is why the greatest struggle of all may be the Jews to destroy the Mohammedan presence and rebuild the temple. This is the great significance of General Dayan surrendering the Temple in 1967. Dayan thought there could be an Israeli secular power distinct from religion but that is false. The Jews are their religion. Their religion is also the history of the Jews. You can see therefore why NATO has to destroy this aspect of the Jews, and they know if they do this, and with the Vatican at the side of NATO, then the road clears for NATO power through Africa, the Americas, Russia and China. Countries like Canada who some think a friend of Israel, but is not, will be in on this great expansion of NATO.

  14. Ted

    This is where NATO with the help of national traitors comes in.

    What is always left out by idealist and anti-materialist thinkers is the overall crisis in the capitalist system, a system which drives towards dictatorial rule behind NATO. Capitalism is a system Ted in total decline. It is a system which literally threatens all life on earth.

    At least that was the main lesson of the events which led to the total destruction of Yugoslavia. Yes the components of Yugoslavia were diverging but it surely took the intervention of NATO to fight not one but two wars to end it. The result was the extension of NATO and the side-lining of Serbs as an oppositional force.

    In this regard the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt may have had a setback yesterday but this must be seen against the overall NATO plans, which is to control all of the world.

    The view of NATO controlling the world would not be opposed by Netanyahu or by the bulk of the Israeli population. Inside that a powerless Jewish state may or may not survive, it would be all the same really to NATO

    The Palestinian Narrative, based of course on lies, plays right into this overall NATO control of the world. “Palestinianism” has become like a religion and serves to block all critical faculties in people who are led by the nose everywhere by a Media which itself is controlled by NATO.

    This is why it was impossible to get the truth through about Yugoslavia. Totally impossible as was seen even on Israpundit where most Jews could not recognise the overall NATO strategy.

    Thus it is also totally impossible to get the truth through about Palestinianism. The power of NATO in closing down all knowledge of these vital issues is already complete. It again affirms capitalism as a system in its death throes where basic knowledge is not allowed. This gives new light on the campaign against the freedom fighter Geller and others.

    Martin Sherman does not deal sufficiently with this overall control of NATO.

    The United Nations in Yugoslavia played a subservient role to NATO. It was American and British NATO forces which placed the KLA in power and which drove the Serbs out of Kosovo. The UN had become a rubber stamp. Similarly Jamie Shea answered why would NATO be brought before the Hague, NATO WAS the Hague Shea said. Again capitalism descends into barbarity.

    It would be unwise to underestimate Kerry and Obama.

    This is why I see the emphasis at this early stage of the talks in which Livni is in a controlling position (everything private…nobody knows what they are agreeing on) is on deciding the borders of a Palestinian state.

    As Sherman knows this is the issue that will crush Israel because it will be NATO troops which will move in to the large areas of Judea and Samaria, or as they call it Palestinian territory in which repeated by the BBC ten times a day every day the Jewish presence is illegal, and it will be NATO with the connivance of a large section of Israeli society which will cleanse that area of Jews. In a new way the PLO will move in behind NATO. No matter that it will be like Kosovo a land of misery, repression and international crime, the aims of NATO as the world policeman will be furthered. The Jews because of their central history in mankind will be neutered. That all depends on the promotion of traitorous leaders and all of them in one way or another are. Definitely includes Feiglin. The new parties of the last election have already sold out.

    Unless Yamit82 stops his vicious attacks on Trotskyism, stops his refusal to put forward a real programme to stop that, stops retreating when fought against to call for the intervention of God (why would he, that is intervene, did he intervene in the death camps 1939 to 45? NOOOO!) and not just Yamit82 but this whole tendency in Israeli politics stop this, then all is lost.

    At least Ted has drawn the discussion back to the position of Sherman which is a correct position. I have always said Sherman must be given great credit. He has identified the problem most clearly. That is the starting point for a new discussion. But there are Fascists on this site who are determined to drive that discussion under.

    On the basis of my knowledge of the crisis in the capitalist system, of the experience of how Kosovo on the basis of a lying narrative was cleansed of Serbs, Gypsies and some Jews, of the goings on in the Hague Court, then I find myself in almost total opposition to the complacency of NormanF above. He says there are so many hundreds of thousands of Jews in Judea and Samaria so that cannot be overcome. Sorry it most certainly can be overcome. As Yamit correctly says Bennett betrayed by not reacting immediately to the talks and pulling his party out of the Coalition. (Least said about Feiglin the better) For Bennett read Milosevic who also prevaricated in the face of NATO. As Sherman knows you cannot trick time, meaning when you take up a false position it is seldom you can recover that ground. Each false position is ground lost. They are moving relentlessly thanks to these false leaders to set borders for a Palestine state and NATO will be the weapon. You could well have troops from Australia in Judea and Samaria, think of that NormanF

    (NormanF in point 3 said:

    There is not going to be a peace agreement! My guess is the PA will get slightly more territory and international aid to stay afloat. That is all that can be reasonably achieved for the foreseeable future. No hidden agenda here – that would imply true convergence. I don’t see it happening.

    As for the last point, mass evacuation of the settlers is a fantasy. The Israeli army and police quite simply don’t have the manpower to remove several hundred thousand Jews and the Israeli government’s demolition of outposts is accomplished only with great difficulty and these are rapidly rebuilt afterwards. A permanent Jewish presence in Judea and Samaria is a fact of life and the bell cannot be unrung now.

  15. bernard ross Said:

    What is your basis for this statement? Did she give some indication for this statement? Is it to do with iran and Syria?

    She said it but would not be drawn out as to what it is.

    I added a few more points to the article. So read it again.

    Martin Sherman has written a number of articles in the last year in which he feared for this Israeli agenda. He wasn’t speculating but based his concern on what he had been told by insiders. Its called constructive unilateralism.

    Is Netanyahu planning a unilateral move?
    The coming canard: ‘Constructive unilateralism’

  16. @ Ted

    That’s because it is a cover for a hidden agenda which she would not disclose.

    do you mean that the negotiations are a show for the street? What is your basis for this statement? Did she give some indication for this statement? Is it to do with iran and Syria?

  17. Does anyone out there actually think that the deal (regardless of where the lines of demarcation fall)
    will actually be made? Abbas will figure some reason why he must walk away in a huff. Bibi is playing the game to keep the fingers from being pointed at Israel as the bad guy.
    If (not possible) a deal is signed, how long before it is changed by some newbie who replaces Abbas?
    Or….By hamas when they do get rid of him. It is nothing more than the old Alphonse and Gaston.
    “After you, Alphonse.”, “No, you first, my dear Gaston!” Everyone is going through the motions.

  18. honeybee Said:

    I have called you cuddles serveral time, yet no hug,

    You hugging me ?

    Or me hugging you?

    Come to think, you never called me cuddles.

    I’m confused 🙁

  19. yamit82 Said:

    1. Israel wants the EU and US Aid to continue financing projects in Area C even if this means that the EU dictates to Israel what when and why of the projects. Thus we have relinquished our independence for this money. The sad thing is that the money involved is a little over $1 billion dollars, just a third of what we get from the US. Better to forfeit the $1 billion and remain in control of J&S.
    Since The Americans and EU do not fund projects over the green line for Israel, I assume you mean funding Palis projects. Now why would Israel want those projects to continue with the aid money From the States and EU?
    2. No one including Kerry has confidence in the peace process so why is Kerry pushing it. That’s because it is a cover for a hidden agenda which she would not disclose.
    Hidden agenda my ass.
    Nobody in the Arab and Muslim world is thinking today about the poor Palis. In view of the disintegration of almost every country in the ME and Egypt on the brink of anarchy or civil war, Syria in Shambles, daily mass terror in Iraq, the kurds and Druze staking out positions, Jordan wobbly and lebanon under threat depending who comes out on top in Syria who cares about the Palis? Israel?
    3. Both Israel and the US want Abbas and Fatah to remain in power to prevent Hamas from taking over. It may be that Israel agreed to the prisoner release as an aid to Abbas to enhance his appeal to ward off Hamas. Considering that Abbas agreed to enter negotiations and may have agreed to make an interim deal on housing construction he would need this release to cover his ass.

    Abbas has near zero credibility with the Palis and Hamas is anything but cooperative. Seems they are back in the Iranian camp. Freeing 104 terrorists will be pocketed and the mass of Arabs will forget quickly especially as their personal conditions deteriorate. Abbas is not even the legitimate and legal President as elections were supposed to be held in 2009 and were deferred out of fear Abbas and Fatah would lose to Hamas.
    Remove the IDF protection for Abbas by leaving most of Y&S he won’t last long.
    I think you have been led by the nose into repeating the story they want publicized which says little and stresses inuendo and speculation leaving much to your imagination. You will know if things progress to a serious stage when BB invites labor to join the colation and they accept. Bennett will be forced to leave and all deals made based on agreements with Bayit Yehudi will be halted. Against the right made a devils agreement and will be shut out and powerless at the end.
    Bennett should have created a government crisis the day negotiations were announced or at least when the prisoner release was made known. That would have forced BB to show his hand now and not when any agreement has been signed and presented as a take it or leave it to the coalition, referendum or even new elections.
    I don’t believe Abbas can agree to anything less than what Olmert offered and he reused that offer. I do believe there will be some attempt at internationalization of Jerusalem. For most Israelis that’s the major bump in the deal.
    Where is the money coming from the pay the settlers off to leave? Israel hasn’t even resettled all of the Gush Katif settlers as of today.

    Three points –

    Fatah is a corrupt and unreconstructed terrorist group. But unlike Hamas, its willing to cooperate with Israel up to a point and helping to keep it in power in the Arab areas of Judea and Samaria serves Israel’s long-term interests. And it helps to keep the Palestinian Arabs divided.

    There is not going to be a peace agreement! My guess is the PA will get slightly more territory and international aid to stay afloat. That is all that can be reasonably achieved for the foreseeable future. No hidden agenda here – that would imply true convergence. I don’t see it happening.

    As for the last point, mass evacuation of the settlers is a fantasy. The Israeli army and police quite simply don’t have the manpower to remove several hundred thousand Jews and the Israeli government’s demolition of outposts is accomplished only with great difficulty and these are rapidly rebuilt afterwards. A permanent Jewish presence in Judea and Samaria is a fact of life and the bell cannot be unrung now.

  20. 1. Israel wants the EU and US Aid to continue financing projects in Area C even if this means that the EU dictates to Israel what when and why of the projects. Thus we have relinquished our independence for this money. The sad thing is that the money involved is a little over $1 billion dollars, just a third of what we get from the US. Better to forfeit the $1 billion and remain in control of J&S.

    Since The Americans and EU do not fund projects over the green line for Israel, I assume you mean funding Palis projects. Now why would Israel want those projects to continue with the aid money From the States and EU?

    2. No one including Kerry has confidence in the peace process so why is Kerry pushing it. That’s because it is a cover for a hidden agenda which she would not disclose.

    Hidden agenda my ass.

    Nobody in the Arab and Muslim world is thinking today about the poor Palis. In view of the disintegration of almost every country in the ME and Egypt on the brink of anarchy or civil war, Syria in Shambles, daily mass terror in Iraq, the kurds and Druze staking out positions, Jordan wobbly and lebanon under threat depending who comes out on top in Syria who cares about the Palis? Israel?

    3. Both Israel and the US want Abbas and Fatah to remain in power to prevent Hamas from taking over. It may be that Israel agreed to the prisoner release as an aid to Abbas to enhance his appeal to ward off Hamas. Considering that Abbas agreed to enter negotiations and may have agreed to make an interim deal on housing construction he would need this release to cover his ass.

    Abbas has near zero credibility with the Palis and Hamas is anything but cooperative. Seems they are back in the Iranian camp. Freeing 104 terrorists will be pocketed and the mass of Arabs will forget quickly especially as their personal conditions deteriorate. Abbas is not even the legitimate and legal President as elections were supposed to be held in 2009 and were deferred out of fear Abbas and Fatah would lose to Hamas.

    Remove the IDF protection for Abbas by leaving most of Y&S he won’t last long.

    I think you have been led by the nose into repeating the story they want publicized which says little and stresses innuendo and speculation leaving much to your imagination. You will know if things progress to a serious stage when BB invites labor to join the coalition and they accept. Bennett will be forced to leave and all deals made based on agreements with Bayit Yehudi will be halted. Again the right made a devils agreement and will be shut out and powerless at the end.

    Bennett should have created a government crisis the day negotiations were announced or at least when the prisoner release was made known. That would have forced BB to show his hand now and not when any agreement has been signed and presented as a take it or leave it to the coalition, referendum or even new elections.

    I don’t believe Abbas can agree to anything less than what Olmert offered and he reused that offer. I do believe there will be some attempt at internationalization of Jerusalem. For most Israelis that’s the major bump in the deal.

    Where is the money coming from the pay the settlers off to leave? Israel hasn’t even resettled all of the Gush Katif settlers as of today.