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A
question for Prime Minister Netanyahu
If
Benjamin Netanyahu will not talk with the Palestinian Authority, how will he
address the demographic threat he warned of?
Haaretz
Editorial | Apr. 25, 2014
In
his announcement of the renewal of negotiations with the Palestinians nine
months ago, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explained he had set two goals:
“To prevent the creation of a binational state between the [Mediterranean] Sea
and the Jordan [River], which endangers the future of the Jewish state,” and the
prevention of the establishment of “an additional terrorist state under Iranian
patronage.” On Thursday, Netanyahu announced the ending of the talks in response
to the reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas.
The
Israeli decision, which was accompanied by highly publicized “fury” at the
Palestinian Authority, is a strategic mistake. The agreement signed in the Gaza
Strip is first and foremost an internal Palestinian matter — exactly the way an
extreme right-wing faction like Habayit Hayehudi joining the government is an
internal Israeli matter. But if it is carried out, the agreement between Fatah
and Hamas could actually increase the chance of peace.
Israelis
tend to complain that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas represents only about
half of his people. Now, it is possible that he will become a pan-Palestinian
leader and therefore also a more serious partner for Israel. Hamas’ willingness
to join the Palestinian government headed by Abbas also heralds the acceptance
of his path, the way of diplomatic negotiations and the abandonment of the
military struggle.
Netanyahu
has held negotiations with Hamas in the past, both in the case of the deal to
release kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and also for the 2008 ceasefire
in Gaza, and the present renouncing of any contact with the organization is
tainted with hypocrisy. Hamas joined Fatah, Fatah did not join Hamas, and Israel
should have advanced the process in hope — as cautious as it may be — not frozen
the talks.
But
the ending of the negotiations has put the ball in Netanyahu’s court with a more
serious question: What does he intend to do now so as to prevent the realization
of the threat he warned about, of a binational state?
The
public denouncements of Abbas as refusing peace will not save Israel from the
danger to its future, which is only getting worse. If Netanyahu rules out
dialogue with the united Palestinian Authority he must present an alternative
plan to reach the goal he set with the opening of the talks. Continuation of the
freeze and the acceleration of the settlements will only bring the realization
of his warning closer.
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