Michael Oren: Trump decision advances peace
Zandberg said, ‘Punishing the Palestinians harms Israel’s interests and could cause our security situation to deteriorate’
US President Donald Trump’s administration’s decision Tuesday to close
the Palestine Liberation Organization’s mission in Washington will help
bring about peace between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, said
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Michael Oren (Kulanu), a
former ambassador to the United States.
Oren said Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his people
have grown accustomed over the years to violating agreements freely
without consequences. For example, he said, there is an article in the
Oslo Accords that forbids them to act in order to recognize a
Palestinian state outside negotiations with Israel.
“With the closing of the PLO office in Washington, the American
administration is not changing the rules of the game, but simply
restoring them after years of neglect,” Oren said. “It should be noted
that in contrast to previous administrations that would reward the
Palestinians for abandoning the negotiations with Israel, President
Trump is forcing the Palestinians to pay a price. As we have seen in the
past – giving gifts to the Palestinians only keeps them away from the
peace talks, and now the Americans are punishing them in order to make
them return to the table.”
Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein (Likud) said the PLO mission was not used
for advancing peace but for spreading hatred and incitement. His Likud
colleague, Social Equality Minister Gila Gamliel said Abbas’s efforts to
isolate Israel prove that he is the problem and not the solution.
Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel (Bayit Yehudi) called the decision a “New Year’s gift” to Israel and the Jewish people.
But Joint List MK Ahmad Tibi called the decision “an act of revenge
against the Palestinian people” by Trump, who was also condemned by
Meretz leader Tamar Zandberg.
“Trump must be told the truth, which is that punishing the Palestinians
harms Israel’s interests and could cause our security situation to
deteriorate,” Zandberg said. “Bibi, [Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor]
Liberman, and [Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali] Bennett might be exulting
tonight, but if anyone in the US administration thinks this is a gift to
Israel, it is actually poison.”
https://www.geezgo.com/sps/38872
Join Geezgo for free. Use Geezgo's end-to-end encrypted Chat with your Closenets (friends, relatives, colleague etc) in personalized ways.>>
No comments