By Walid M. Sadi
On the one hand, the leaks suggest that the Palestinian negotiators went too far to appease the Israeli counterparts and arrive at some deal with them. The “revelations” also suggest that no matter how far the Palestinians go to accommodate Israeli negotiators, it is never enough.
To start with, there is no way to determine for sure whether the leaks are accurate. “Leaks” can be easily doctored to suit the purpose of the people behind them.
Palestinian negotiators and others were quick to dismiss the leaks as inaccurate and having been quoted out of context. This could be true, but it is not the point.
The question that comes first to the mind of most of us is why the leaks and why now.
While Al Jazeera satellite television station was credited with making public allegedly secret talks between Palestinians and Israeli negotiators, Israeli hands cannot be ruled out altogether, as this whole episode seems meant to embarrass the Palestinians and bring to a complete halt any semblance of peace talks.
It is also possible that when the Palestinian were making generous concessions to Israel on several key issues, including East Jerusalem and the future status of Jewish settlements in Palestinian lands, including East Jerusalem, they were simply bluffing and sounding out Israel’s negotiating stance.
To the credit of the Palestinian side, it must be said that there is no deal with Israel that the Palestinian Authority can be held accountable for until it is signed and ratified by it. Anything short of this remains of academic and rhetorical value.
I doubt very seriously that the Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas would commit a historic folly by yielding as much as the leaks seem to suggest.
The shockwaves from the leaks will be soon forgotten and what will remain are the constant basics: Israel does not wish to strike a reasonable and fair deal with the Palestinians, and the Palestinians will continue to have their unfulfilled national dreams for some more time.
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