In the UK and Europe, politicians are declaring recognition of a state of Palestine that does not yet recognize the state of Israel.
Yasser Arafat, the first leader of the Palestinian
Authority, never did recognize Israel. Even after the handshake with Yitzchak
Rabin and the shared Noble Prize for Peace, Arafat continued to wear an image
of Palestine that included all of Israel; the Palestinian National Charter that
claims Israel has no right to exist and endorses violence to achieve this goal --
never has been changed. The PA operates under this Charter
even today.
Meanwhile Hamas, ruling over Gaza, explicitly broadcasts its
non-recognition of Israel in its Charter and public statements. The fully
Palestinian controlled state of Gaza has not renounced its campaign of firing
rockets and missiles at Israeli civilians. And yet, there is a sudden urgency
in Europe and the UK to recognize a state of Palestine.
Prime Minster Cameron, who abstained from the British
Parliament vote, specified that recognition will not affect diplomacy, and Sweden’s
Prime Minister clarified that his parliament’s vote is intended to encourage two states. Sounds benign
but these recognitions
seem confused.
The Gaza half of Palestine speaks and acts with unambiguous commitment
to violent elimination of Israel. This is not encouraging for a two state
solution.
Nor is the West Bank half of Palestine, presided over by Mahmoud
Abbas in his ninth year of a four-year term, especially encouraging. President
Abbas states both that not a single Jew shall be allowed in the future state of
Palestine
and that recognizing Israel as a Jewish state should not be required; after
all, neither Jordan nor Egypt said the word, Jewish, when they made peace with Israel.
Of course, this word game wasn’t operating when Egypt and
Jordan signed peace agreements with Israel since there was no question that they
recognized Israel as a Jewish state.
In popular culture in the Middle East, mentioning Israel at
all causes conflict.
A recent example: two
Arab-Israeli singers are participating in Arab
Idol, the most popular show on Arab television. When the program displayed a
map showing all the countries of the participants, viewers were outraged because
Israel was included. Quickly an apology was issued and the two singers who live
in northern Israel were now shown as living in Palestine.
Those governments outside the Middle East wanting to
encourage the two state solution
would do well to notice that the state of Israel still needs to be recognized
there as well.
