The Palestinian refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish State – reiterated last month by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas – is the core of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Huge majorities of Palestinians refuse to accept “Israel as the homeland for the Jewish people,” instead keeping alive the dream of demographically overrunning Israel and restoring the land to some kind of pre-1948 utopia with bucolic post-Ottoman architecture and no running water. The erstwhile Palestinian negotiating position – “recognize Israel, but not as a Jewish State, in exchange for maximum territorial concessions” – very deliberately preserves the ideological basis for future war against the Jewish State. That’s why recognition of Israel’s Jewish character has been a central Israeli demand since at least the Olmert government.
The French long ago came around to Israel’s position on recognition, with Foreign Minister Alain Juppe establishing it in a speech and then circulating the text for emphasis. President Obama, in his AIPAC speech today, pointedly did not. From the prepared text:
That’s why – just as we encourage Israel to be resolute in the pursuit of peace – we have continued to insist that any Palestinian partner must recognize Israel’s right to exist, reject violence, and adhere to existing agreements. And that is why my administration has consistently rejected any efforts to short-cut negotiations or impose an agreement on the parties.
The omission wasn’t an accident. The Palestinians’ refusal to recognize Israel’s Jewish character came up last time Prime Minister Netanyahu was in town as well. And if I heard Obama correctly, the line was even more awkward as delivered. It came out something like: “… must recognize Israel [clumsy, halting full stop].” I may be misremembering though, simply because it sounded so stilted to have the usual phrase – “recognize Israel, as a Jewish State” – just hanging there, half-delivered.
This issue matters. If it was a minor rhetorical matter – as Palestinian apologists blandly insist – then the Palestinians would accept the Israeli position and reap the subsequent propaganda windfall. Instead, they’ve outright ruled out recognizing Israel as a Jewish State again and again. The terms under which they want peace are ones that leave available the central pretext for war.
Just to be clear: the president certainly recognizes Israel as a Jewish State. He just doesn’t seem to think the Palestinians should have to. That’s a recipe for continued distrust between America and the Jewish State – the Israelis will find themselves unable to rely on American backing on even the most basic issues – which in turn will ensure that the peace process remains moribund.
no I actually think Obama does not recognize the Jewishness of the State of Israel- preferrring instead to hold them to the same secular status of USA govt- plurality and equalness and no state religion- and so far Israel has done a pisspoor job of making JUDAISM the offical state religion. Refusing to porperly define that in their Constitution is I think a glaring omission. If 57 countries can define themsleves as ISLAMIC states the JEWS should get at least ONE- and have the right to remove hostiles (MUSLIMS) as they see fit. (Kahane was right- population transfer)
Really? I think Obama is a mole.
Arabs & Muslims traditionally have regarded Jews as a dependent, subject group in the Muslim states, as dhimmis. This means as inferiors. As such the Jews cannot have a state, do not deserve a state, certainly not on land that is an Islamic waqf. They do not have the right to a state, anywhere really. Curiously the Nazis argued that the Jews were not a "state-forming nation" and thus could not have a state. Hence for both Nazis and German philosophy [and even Hegel took this position 200 years ago] and for Islamists/Arab nationalists/, the notion of a Jewish state gainsays the natural order of things. A Jewish state is against logic and reason and nature. Moreover, it produces cognitive dissonance among the believers, whether Nazis or Islamists/pan-Arabists. A cognitive dissonance may make people angry.
Thanks, Eliyahu, you've just given the mozlems another excuse to get away with Jew hatred!
Obama does not like Jews or Judaism. He see Jews as useful idiots, like Stalin saw Trotsky. In Obama's world, Muslims have a superior identity. Their illiteracy, numbers, fanaticism, and savagery give them great prestige in his delusional world made of of shades of hate.
Funny that everyone wants a Palestinian state – well, Jordan is a Palestinian state. An 75% Palestinian state. Only everyone wants to destroy Isreal, so Jordan is never mentioned. The fact that most of the Palestinians in Israel are from Jordan originally is never mentioned. Just watch how fast Jordan is turned into a second Palestinian state if or when the mad mullahs of Iran blow the current residents of Israel away.
What if tomorrow you woke up and Abbas or Abu Mazen or Arafat in a suit declared ” I recognize Israel as “Jewish State”? Is that some sort of password, ollie oxen free.
It does not matter, hello. I guess Egypt reverting to an enemy state matters nothing, the “peace train” gotta move forward…chuga chuga.
It is The Prime Minister Private Residence and it is 3:30 am. [phone rings]
Netanyahu:[long yawn] …This better be important. What time is it…Who the hell is this?
Livni: Mr. Prime Minister, it’s Tzippi, remember you told me I should call you immediately if something could not wait, well it has it really has…PA President Abbas, I mean Abu/Mahmoud has just now, two minutes ago seriously recognized Israel as “a Jewish State” for a set period of time after which it will expire, but don’t worry, you will , of course now immediately sign a document recognizing The 1948 borders as the lines which will define “Palestine”.How exciting and Oh yes and to agree to divide Jerusalem the way Ehud darling suggested and a modest right of return of no more than just one million people, which I think is okay. I have the signed document with me right now it’s good and we even got it notarized, that is the good news. The bad news is it expires as soon as he finishes this bottle of gin. Can you come now, we’re trying to offer him some of Shaul’s hash to slow him down a bit, we’re down the block at The Hatikvah Pub. Please please hurry. You can have my pizza, it’s…kosher.