Al-Jazeera released a selection of documents that were apparently leaked from someone on the Palestinian side. The documents apparently represent the Palestinian's view of the various negotiations with Israel over the past 20 years, with emphasis currently on the most recent Olmert-Livni/Abbas-Erekat negotiations.
We'll be examining the material and explaining it throughout the day.
Assuming the documents are real and unmodified, the most obvious question is who released it, and whom were they trying to hurt (or help) by doing so.
Update: Olmert's spokesman confirms many of the details of the agreement as mentioned in PaliLeaks, but adds that they (Olmert and Co.) still don't understand why the Palestinians turned it down.
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16 comments:
Why would this constitute a "leak"? It sounds like the PA viewpoint being published by a PA paper.
Not really.
On one hand an argument could be made that the Palestinians were showing flexibility in the negotiations, and that this was for American consumption, but the already Americans knew what was being negotiated, so it's unlikely.
On the other hand, it puts the PA in a very bad position vis a vis their citizens, that they gave up on their refugees, parts of Eastern Jerusalem, Gush Etzion, etc.
That they were willing to give up on the right of return for "refugees" (according to this document) does make something about the contents of these documents sound strange.
Perhaps it's true. Perhaps the documents have been modified.
We'll have to wait until more are released and see what what's written there, as well as any responses from the Israeli side before drawing any conclusions.
It's worth noting, that Olmert's spokesman confirms details of the agreement, but adds that they still don't understand why the Palestinians turned it down.
Did the Pals turn this down? It sounds like it was Israel and the US who said it wasn't enough (w/o Har Homa).
Of course the european media and news ankers take this opportunity to prove once more how postive palestians are and how stuburn the reaction of Israel. Another move to blame it on the jew. Why ?
As always, each side blames the other.
But remember, these are supposedly internal PA documents (and in English too for some reason), so they will be presenting the PA side.
But so far I haven't seen anything that says why the talks broke down - just theories (elections, Cast Lead, etc.)
As to why they were released, the most likely reason is money. Al Jazeera will have paid a good sum for these documents.
Its embarrassing for the PA for it proves Abu Bluff CAN compromise when it serves his own interests.
Now he's denying it. That's to be expected. But it does underscore the extent of Palestinian hypocrisy about the peace talks. The fact of the matter remains they still turned down an offer highly favorable to them no doubt because it conflicted with their anti-Israel ideology.
In the end that took precedence over making peace with Israel.
They were released davka to the UK Guardian, the most antisemitic paper in Britain, possibly all of Europe. Even though the papers prove Israel's point of view, they are being trumpeted in the Guardian as "proof" of Israel's nefariousness in rejecting the poor Palestinians' flexibility.
I should add that you should read the series of articles on CiFWatch for excellent insight and analysis.
Annie; While The Guardian is certainly using this as a excuse to bash Israel, the documents were leaked to Al-Jazeera.
Al-Jazeera publicly humiliated Abu-Mazen yesterday on live TV with these documents, prior to publication of in The Guardian.
The most likely suspect is Mohammed Dahlan, who has recently been an extremely vocal critic of Abu Mazen and the PA.
While the Israeli Left and much of the world's media is using this to prove how flexible the PA is, and how intransigent Israel, the bottom line is that it humiliates the PA first and foremost for their willingness to "sell the Palestinians down the river."
What no one is talking about is the serious concessions Israel made.
do the documents actually describe which side turned down which side's offer? How the peace talks broke down? There seems to be a lack of clarity on this point
I'm in the middle of reading them.
So far everyone on both sides sound whiny.
The Israelis are really short-sided - giving away the water rights under Ariel (which means giving away all the mountain water essentially).
The Israelis come across as idiots (at one point the Pals ask for safe passage to the Banyas, no Israeli reaction to that at all).
The Pals stick in some irrelevant point that Israel did this or that at every opportunity.
If this is real, then Livni is a complete idiot, and the Pals knew it. I surprised they didn't get even more from her.
Thankfully they let us keep Road 1 between JM and TA (seriously, that's in there).
If anyone reads the comments the Lubavitcher Rebbe made more than 20 years ago, he will realize the Rebbe stated to the "t" things that would be happening. And most are things that no one could have even thought -- at that time -- would occur. In any case, the Rebbe stated that a miracle, Hashem's kindness to Am Yisroel -- would be that the Jews would blunderously be willing to give up land, and the "miracle" would be that the Arabs would refuse. There is no reason to explain things politically. We just have to look to Hashem and say thank you for His promised eternal love for His children, and try to reciprocate.
There is no reason to explain things politically.
Not exactly true. The Palestinians are ultimately every Arab nation's puppet. And as much as they all whine about the Palestinian plight, none want an actual peace settlement between them and Israel.
But I agree with you that G-d is the One really pulling those puppet strings.
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