Lieberman: Fatah platform buries chance for peace deal

[Fozzledick]

By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent, and The Associated Press

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said the recent pronouncements made by Fatah officials during the faction's convention in the West Bank "bury any chance" of an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement.

"A situation whereby there is a split between Hamastan in the Gaza Strip and Fatahland in the West Bank, together with the Fatah platform that is being formulated, bury any possibility of reaching a comprehensive agreement with the Palestinians in the coming years."

Lieberman told visiting Congressmen from the Democratic Party that the Palestinians have staked extremist, uncompromising positions on the issue of Jerusalem, the right of return, and the future borders of a Palestinian state. The Palestinian views create an unbridgeable gap with those of Israel, Lieberman said.

The Fatah general conference, which convened in Bethlehem last week, adopted a position paper which also states that the Palestinian national enterprise will not reach fruition until all of Jerusalem, including the outlying villages, come under Palestinian sovereignty.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1106518.html

I hate to belabor the obvious, but Fatah has once again made it unambiguously clear that they have absolutely no interest in negotiating a peaceful settlement. They're either delusional enough to think that they can conquer Israel by violence if they just keep at it, or cynical enough to want to prolong the current "occupation" indefinitely, or at least as long as international aid flows directly into their own pockets.

[LeftishBrit]

1. Surely Avigdor Lieberman isn't exactly a reliable authority on the subject?

[Fozzledick]

3. Anticipated ad hominem evasion noted

I somehow managed to restrain myself from predicting the inevitable response, but I knew it would happen.

The obvious truth of the Israeli Foreign Minister's statement speaks for itself, but if you can't deny the message you can always attack the messenger.

[LeftishBrit]

5. Would you consider Pat Buchanan a valid commentator about Israel?

Same with Lieberman being a valid commentator on anything.

FWIW, I'm certainly no fan of the current Palestinian leadership. Why not quote their own words to condemn them?

[Fozzledick]

6. I wouldn't take him at his word on personal "commentary"

But if he were Secretary of State making an official policy statement that was obviously true on it's face I would judge the statement on it's own merit.

I think Fatah's formal statements embracing violence and rejecting negotiation also speak for themselves.

[LeftishBrit]

7. You lost me at 'if he were Secretary of State'

What a horrifying thought.

[Fozzledick]

9. Just looking at the office, not the man

While I don't care much for Lieberman personally, the Israeli Foreign Minister speaking on behalf of the government is a different thing.

[Ken Burch]

12. Has Lieberman been indicted yet? I'd heard that was coming soon

n/t.

[here_is_to_hope]

2. Well...

And I hate to belabor the obvious, but Israel has once again made it unambiguously clear that they have absolutely no interest in negotiating a peaceful settlement. They're either delusional enough to think that they can conquer the Palestinians by violence if they just keep at it, or cynical enough to want to prolong the current "occupation" indefinitely, or at least as long as international aid flows directly into their own pockets.

[Fozzledick]

4. "I know you are but what am I?"

Is that all you've got? :eyes:

[here_is_to_hope]

8. Yes.

As long as Israel and its rightwing fuckheads keep at it, thats all I have.
What did you want?

[Fozzledick]

10. I was kinda hoping someone might actually address the substance of the statement

but in my heart I knew it would just be the usual ad hominem evasions and mud-slinging.

[here_is_to_hope]

11. There is no substance in the statement, just more blah blah blah from

a nutjob.
No worries, after so many years of this shit, I am used to it.

[Sezu]

13. Don't hold yer breath with this crowd. n/t