''What 'Israel's right to exist' means to Palestinians''By John V. Whitbeck, Opinion, The Christian Science Monitor
Note: Click on the image to see how Israel restricts Palestinians movements inside the territories.
''Since the Palestinian elections in 2006, Israel and much of the West have asserted that the principal obstacle to any progress toward Israeli-Palestinian peace is the refusal of Hamas to "recognize Israel," or to "recognize Israel's existence," or to "recognize Israel's right to exist."
These three verbal formulations have been used by Israel, the United States, and the European Union as a rationale for collective punishment of the Palestinian people. The phrases are also used by the media, politicians, and even diplomats interchangeably, as though they mean the same thing. They do not.
"Recognizing Israel" or any other state is a formal legal and diplomatic act by one state with respect to another state. It is inappropriate – indeed, nonsensical – to talk about a political party or movement extending diplomatic recognition to a state. To talk of Hamas "recognizing Israel" is simply to use sloppy, confusing, and deceptive shorthand for the real demand being made of the Palestinians. ''
Read On... (Link found on Angry Arab)
Since March 29th 2006
3 comments:
I'm beginning, maybe, to have a bit of a different, less forgiving view of the Siniora government. Too much to do to explain now, but my ears are open.
Pierre,
I am curious to know about that.
As they say in Hamlet, "Aye, there's the rub."
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