Abbas says no to Jewish state
Ahead of UN speech, Palestinian leader says he will not cave in to global pressure
Roi Kais
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said Friday he is adamant about not recognizing Israel as the Jewish state.
"They talk to us about the Jewish state, but I respond to them with a final answer: We shall not recognize a Jewish state," Abbas said in a meeting with some 200 senior representatives of the Palestinians community in the US, shortly before taking the podium and delivering a speech at the United Nations General Assembly.
The Palestinian leader, who appeared fatigued, shared with his audience the global pressures exerted on him in an effort to prevent him from presenting the PA's statehood bid at the Security Council.
"We are withstanding these pressures, and I'm telling you that I am going to the Security Council and will never change my mind, regardless of the pressure," he said.
Hamas: Don't beg for state
"The American Administration did everything possible so that we don't approach the UN, yet we are continuing with this important move," Abbas said, adding that peace talks with Israel are facing an impasse and presenting his conditions for the resumption of negotiations.
"We are saying once again that without Netanyahu's declaration that he recognizes the state of Palestine within the 1967, as well as a declaration on and implementation of a settlement freeze, we shall not return to negotiations and we shall not allow the presence of settlers and an occupation army in Palestine," he said.
Meanwhile, Hamas said Friday Palestinians should liberate their land, not beg for recognition at the United Nations, firmly rejecting President Abbas' quest for statehood. Speaking hours before Abbas was due to ask formally that the UN recognize a Palestinian state, senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said this would not bring independence.
"Our Palestinian people do not beg for a state. ...States are not built upon UN resolutions. States liberate their land and establish their entities," Haniyeh said.
So we must identify Palestine as an Arab state, that must be free of those nasty Jews.
But on the other hand the Palestinians will not recognize Israel, as the Jewish State.
Plus in this new state if it is given birth, refuses to allow Palestinian refugees to be citizens.
Thus keeping the issue alive to weaken Israel even more.
Then if Abbas get's a "state" in Judea and Samaria, it will not satisfy Hamas so we will still be at war with the Palestinians.
So besides giving our land to a society that glorifies the suicide of it's own children in order to murder Jews, we will not have peace.
I just wish Israel had leaders that were strong enough to say just like the Palestinian leadership, no.
Let Israeli leaders say no to a terrorist state.
