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Thursday, April 24, 2014

My letter to the NYTimes RE Palestinian Rivals Announce Unity Pact, Drawing U.S. and Israeli Rebuke


RE: Palestinian Rivals Announce Unity Pact, Drawing U.S. and Israeli Rebuke
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/24/world/middleeast/palestinian-factions-announce-deal-on-unity-government.html?ref=world

Dear Editor,

“Mr. Netanyahu and his government were using Palestinian division as an excuse not to make peace,” said Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator. “Now they want to use Palestinian reconciliation as an excuse for the same purpose. This is utterly absurd.”

That quote should have been the opening line in your story regarding the unity pact between the Palestine Liberation Organization and Hamas, for it is true, as well as quite helpful in understanding the situation.  Fact is, once again Palestinians have been set up so that Israeli propagandists and politicians can convince themselves (as well as America's Congress) that Palestinians and Palestine must be defunded and destroyed.

Meanwhile sovereign Israel's generously subsidized Jewish settlement projects in the illegally occupied territories continue to aggressively gobble up Palestinian land, rights, and freedom.... Kerry's spokeswoman could have and should have said "Israeli government and religious leaders must unambiguously and explicitly commit to nonviolence, recognition of the state of Palestine, and acceptance of previous agreements and obligations between the parties.”

A justice based, Golden Rule thinking based peace that fully honors and implements international law and countless UN Resolutions including but not limited to UN Resolution 194 from 1948- the Palestinian refugees inalienable right to return to original homes and lands, would go a long way towards calming down religious extremism and hate mongers on all sides of the conflict. 

A fully secular two state end to the Israel-Palestine conflict, with a fully sovereign and free Palestine living in peace and security alongside an already sovereign and free Israel is the best way forward.

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab

NOTES
American Task Force on Palestine Springs Forward

Choosing Sides ... a poem  

To a State ...a poem

Abbas: no contradiction between reconciliation and negotiations "Abbas said that there is no contradiction between reconciliation and negotiation "because we are committed to achieving a just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution and international resolutions."

"Unity of the land and people will empower and contribute to the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital," he added.

Abbas said that that overcoming the division between the rival Palestinian political parties will help the Palestinian negotiators reach the two-state solution, and he stressed that the move had both Arab and international support."

That is real cultural and educational leadership and integrity. It is principled, brave, intelligent and unflinching. It deserves only support, applause and emulation...

"Today diplomacy is deadlocked, yet the nature of politics is that tomorrow that reality may change. The Holocaust was not a political conflict: the very idea of a “Nazi-Jewish peace process” is absurd. Teaching the Holocaust to Palestinians is a way to ensure they do not go down the blind alley of believing their peace process with Israel is as hopeless as one would have been between Nazis and Jews." Why Palestinians Should Learn About the Holocaust  by MOHAMMED DAJANI DAOUDI and ROBERT SATLOFF in the New York Times March 29 2014

Outreach: American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) "Our Israeli and Palestinian partners in the Middle East as well as our partners in the U.S. believe as we do that a lasting peace must begin with a commitment to shared security for all."



Growing Gardens for Palestine: "And it's up to all of us together"... a Spring poem for Palestine & peace

ATFP Peace Building ... civic muscle
  • All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

"The only way to honor our tragic histories is to create a future for our children free of man-made tragedy. This means making peace fully, completely and without reservation, between Israel and Palestine." ATFP's Ziad Asali: To honor a tragic history, we must work for peace

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