I don't get the big deal with the Palileaks, or the leaks of Palestinian Papers by Al Jazeera that document what the Palestinians offered the Israelis for peace.. The Palestinians are pretty upset about it, and some (like Abbas) are denying the content.
If I were the Palestinians I would be pretty happy with these leaked papers. To me they seem to indicate that the Palestinians made a serious offer for peace, something they never had previously done, even granting the Israelis almost everything the Israelis could have wanted and expected in Jerusalem. Sure it was not a perfect offer, but the papers show the Israelis said no and did not even make a counter offer, working form that basis. The Israelis just said no.
To me, these leaked papers seem to make the PA look good and the Israelis bad.
So why are the Palestinians upset about it?
because it makes them look like sell-outs, and thus further endangers their lives and undermines their credibility in their constituencies minds.
ReplyDeleteThe entire public PA position until now, especially to their own people, has been: No concessions, especially on Yerushalayim and the right of return. All PA negotiators are very clear that they will never, ever discuss such things. So here they go and do just that. It's like a death sentence for them.
ReplyDeleteMe, I think the Israelis forged the documents to make the Arabs turn on their leaders.
Barry Rubin thinks it's a PA forgery
ReplyDeletehttp://rubinreports.blogspot.com/2011/01/palestine-papers-fabrication-of-day.html
so they would then be protested to make it look real...
a forgery to make the PA look bad to the Arabs? interesting..
ReplyDeleteMy take: They aren't worried about what the world thinks, they're worried about what the rest of the Arab world thinks.
ReplyDeleteSo now they need to go out and pretend that these were actually Israeli positions, and the Israelis were the ones offering concessions.
Because you are worried about how Israel LOOKS and they are worried about what they GET.
ReplyDeleteBarry Rubin's take is an interesting one although I can't say,at this point that I agree with him.
ReplyDeleteAs Garnel Ironheart says, Fatah is well known for saying one thing to the "world" and another to the "arabs". At the end of the day, they are only interested in watching their own butts, and to be seen giving any type of concession is paramount to receiving a death threat