Is Abbas a Partner for Peace?
Is Netanyahu?
The Editor,
The Jerusalem Post
It says something for your newspaper which is decidedly to the right in its political views that it publishes articles that are decidedly to the left to give its readers the opposite view. I refer to Gershon Baskin`s “Abbas is a partner for peace. Is Netanyahu?” (Oct. 27)
Baskin describes Abbas as a strong leader who has already “implemented almost all the Palestinians obligations under the road map while Israel has not implemented any.” He lists dismantling Hamas and Islamic infrastructure in the West Bank and the arrest of hundreds of Hamas operatives ”“ no doubt to prevent another Gaza type takeover. He closed certain charitable institutions, schools and terror cells. He has replaced Jihad clergy in mosques and controls sermon content. He has censored TV incitement.
Well that`s not bad for starters. But Baskin does not mention the fact that Abbas has not carried out the first item called for in the road map namely to banish incitement in the schools. This was the basic reason Israel refused to negotiate. Another other is the fact that Abbas has refused point blank to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. Israel cannot negotiate with any one who wants to flood us out with millions of “refugees” and their two generations of progeny all born abroad.
But Baskin’s biggest fault surely lies in his sidestepping of Abbas’ audacity in demanding that all current construction be immediately stopped That will not happen and cannot happen no matter wh is Israel’s prime minister.
Sincerely,