Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Prime Minister Netanyahu's United Nations Speech of September 29, 2014


(Credit to the Prime Minister's Office for the following transcript. Due to the particular formatting of their word processing program, this post will look somewhat different from my others. I was unable to make it conform.)
I could not be prouder of my unofficial mentor. This speech met all expectations (I would say "exceeded", except I have learned to expect excellence from Binyamin Netanyahu). While I will be inserting comments, much of the speech needs no elaboration:
 
"Thank you, Mr. President,
"Distinguished delegates,
"I come here from Jerusalem to speak on behalf of my people, the people of Israel. I've come here to speak about the dangers we face and about the opportunities we see. I've come here to expose the brazen lies spoken from this very podium against my country and against the brave soldiers who defend it. Ladies and Gentlemen, The people of Israel pray for peace. But our hopes and the world's hope for peace are in danger. Because everywhere we look, militant Islam is on the march. It's not militants. It's not Islam. It's militant Islam...."
 
Finally, a proper description of the threat. It is not "extreme" Islam. It is not "extremists". It is not those who have "hijacked" Islam. It is not those who have "perverted" a "peaceful" religion. It is militant Islam, a term I will heretofore adopt.
 
"...Typically, its first victims are other Muslims, but it spares no one. Christians, Jews, Yazidis, Kurds – no creed, no faith, no ethnic group is beyond its sights. And it's rapidly spreading in every part of the world. You know the famous American saying: "All politics is local"? For the militant Islamists, "All politics is global." Because their ultimate goal is to dominate the world. Now, that threat might seem exaggerated to some, since it starts out small, like a cancer that attacks a particular part of the body. But left unchecked, the cancer grows, metastasizing over wider and wider areas.
"To protect the peace and security of the world, we must remove this cancer before it's too late. Last week, many of the countries represented here rightly applauded President Obama for leading the effort to confront ISIS...."
 
OK, Mr. Prime Minister, I understand politics. But, Point of Clarification: POTUS is hardly "leading the effort". He has been dragged in kicking and screaming.
 
"...And yet weeks before, some of these same countries, the same countries that now support confronting ISIS, opposed Israel for confronting Hamas. They evidently don’t understand that ISIS and Hamas are branches of the same poisonous tree. ISIS and Hamas share a fanatical creed, which they both seek to impose well beyond the territory under their control.
"Listen to ISIS’s self-declared caliph,Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi. This is what he said two months ago: A day will soon come when the Muslim will walk everywhere as a master… The Muslims will cause the world to hear and understand the meaning of terrorism… and destroy the idol of democracy. Now listen to Khaled Meshaal, the leader of Hamas. He proclaims a similar vision of the future: We say this to the West… By Allah you will be defeated. Tomorrow our nation will sit on the throne of the world. As Hamas's charter makes clear, Hamas’s immediate goal is to destroy Israel. But Hamas has a broader objective. They also want a caliphate. Hamas shares the global ambitions of its fellow militant Islamists. That’s why its supporters wildly cheered in the streets of Gaza as thousands of Americans were murdered on 9/11. And that's why its leaders condemned the United States for killing Osama Bin Laden, whom they praised as a holy warrior. So when it comes to their ultimate goals, Hamas is ISIS and ISIS is Hamas. And what they share in common, all militant Islamists share in common: • Boko Haram in Nigeria; • Ash-Shabab in Somalia; • Hezbollah in Lebanon; • An-Nusrah in Syria; • The Mahdi Army in Iraq; • And the Al-Qaeda branches in Yemen, Libya, the Philippines, India and elsewhere.
"Some are radical Sunnis, some are radical Shi'ites...."
 
That last reference will have shocked some people. I spoke with someone a couple of months ago who swore Shi'ites were peaceful. I had to give him a history lesson to prove otherwise. We need to remember that all of these clans, regardless of label, are rooted in the same, degenerative illness: Islam.
 
"...Some want to restore a pre-medieval caliphate from the 7th century. Others want to trigger the apocalyptic return of an imam from the 9th century. They operate in different lands, they target different victims and they even kill each other in their quest for supremacy. But they all share a fanatic ideology. They all seek to create ever expanding enclaves of militant Islam where there is no freedom and no tolerance – Where women are treated as chattel, Christians are decimated, and minorities are subjugated, sometimes given the stark choice: convert or die...."
 
Sadly, conversion does not always save the kafir (WARNING: EXTREMELY GRAPHIC):
 
"...For them, anyone can be an infidel, including fellow Muslims. Ladies and Gentlemen, Militant Islam's ambition to dominate the world seems mad. But so too did the global ambitions of another fanatic ideology that swept to power eight decades ago. The Nazis believed in a master race. The militant Islamists believe in a master faith. They just disagree about who among them will be the master… of the master faith. That’s what they truly disagree about. Therefore, the question before us is whether militant Islam will have the power to realize its unbridled ambitions.
"There is one place where that could soon happen: The Islamic State of Iran. For 35 years, Iran has relentlessly pursued the global mission which was set forth by its founding ruler, Ayatollah Khomeini, in these words: We will export our revolution to the entire world. Until the cry "There is no God but Allah" will echo throughout the world over… And ever since, the regime’s brutal enforcers, Iran's Revolutionary Guards, have done exactly that. Listen to its current commander, General Muhammad Ali Ja'afari. And he clearly stated this goal. He said: Our Imam did not limit the Islamic Revolution to this country… Our duty is to prepare the way for an Islamic world government…."
 
Make no mistake, everyone. Iran has succeeded in its pursuit of this goal far more than most of "The West" realizes. Think back on everything that has occurred since 1979, and I mean everything. All of it can be traced back to Iran. Yes, even the Boston Bombing.
 
"...Iran's President Rouhani stood here last week, and shed crocodile tears over what he called "the globalization of terrorism." Maybe he should spare us those phony tears and have a word instead with the commanders of Iran's Revolutionary Guards.
"He could ask them to call off Iran's global terror campaign, which has included attacks in two dozen countries on five continents since 2011 alone. To say that Iran doesn't practice terrorism is like saying Derek Jeter never played shortstop for the New York Yankees. This bemoaning of the Iranian president of the spread of terrorism has got to be one of history’s greatest displays of doubletalk...."
 
I especially liked his invocation of poverty as being at the root of terrorism...while he stood there wearing shoes made by Gucci.
 
"...Now, Some still argue that Iran's global terror campaign, its subversion of countries throughout the Middle East and well beyond the Middle East, some argue that this is the work of the extremists. They say things are changing. They point to last year's elections in Iran. They claim that Iran’s smooth talking President and Foreign Minister, they’ve changed not only the tone of Iran's foreign policy but also its substance.
"They believe Rouhani and Zarif genuinely want to reconcile with the West, that they’ve abandoned the global mission of the Islamic Revolution. Really? So let's look at what Foreign Minister Zarif wrote in his book just a few years ago: We have a fundamental problem with the West, and especially with America. This is because we are heirs to a global mission, which is tied to our raison d'etre… A global mission which is tied to our very reason of being. And then Zarif asks a question, I think an interesting one. He says: How come Malaysia [he’s referring to an overwhelmingly Muslim country] – how come Malaysia doesn't have similar problems? And he answers: Because Malaysia is not trying to change the international order. That's your moderate.
"So don’t be fooled by Iran’s manipulative charm offensive. It’s designed for one purpose, and for one purpose only: To lift the sanctions and remove the obstacles to Iran's path to the bomb. The Islamic Republic is now trying to bamboozle its way to an agreement that will remove the sanctions it still faces, and leave it with the capacity of thousands of centrifuges to enrich uranium. This would effectively cement Iran's place as a threshold military nuclear power. In the future, at a time of its choosing, Iran, the world’s most dangerous state in the world's most dangerous region, would obtain the world’s most dangerous weapons. Allowing that to happen would pose the gravest threat to us all. It’s one thing to confront militant Islamists on pick-up trucks, armed with Kalashnikov rifles. It’s another thing to confront militant Islamists armed with weapons of mass destruction...."
 
There is far more to the story than the Prime Minister reveals in this speech. Here are just two examples:
"...I remember that last year, everyone here was rightly concerned about the chemical weapons in Syria, including the possibility that they would fall into the hands of terrorists. That didn't happen. And President Obama deserves great credit for leading the diplomatic effort to dismantle virtually all of Syria's chemical weapons capability...."
 
With all due respect to my unofficial mentor, I believe it was Vladimir Putin who "saved the day", so to speak. And, there are indications that some of those chemical weapons were transported into Lebanon and thus are now in Hezbollah's reach. I imagine the Prime Minister simply cannot say some of these things for reasons of intelligence; perhaps he is unaware that some of this information has been leaked.
 
"...Imagine how much more dangerous the Islamic State, ISIS, would be if it possessed chemical weapons...."
 
Mr. Prime Minister, are you unaware that the Islamic State seized some leftover chemical stores belonging to Saddam Hussein in, I believe, June, as well as 80 pounds of uranium? Or is the key to your statement the word "imagine", as in you are not confirming such a thing has happened so as not to alarm people, but you are not denying it, either?
 
"...Now imagine how much more dangerous the Islamic state of Iran would be if it possessed nuclear weapons...."
 
Mr. Prime Minister, what if Iran already has "the Bomb"?:
http://www.americanthinker.com/2014/02/iran_has_the_bomb.html    
 
"...Ladies and Gentlemen, Would you let ISIS enrich uranium? Would you let ISIS build a heavy water reactor? Would you let ISIS develop intercontinental ballistic missiles? Of course you wouldn’t. Then you mustn't let the Islamic State of Iran do those things either. Because here’s what will happen: Once Iran produces atomic bombs, all the charm and all the smiles will suddenly disappear. They’ll just vanish. It's then that the ayatollahs will show their true face and unleash their aggressive fanaticism on the entire world.
"There is only one responsible course of action to address this threat: Iran's nuclear military capabilities must be fully dismantled. Make no mistake – ISIS must be defeated. But to defeat ISIS and leave Iran as a threshold nuclear power is to win the battle and lose the war. To defeat ISIS and leave Iran as a threshold nuclear power is to win the battle and lose the war...."
 
I am afraid that is precisely what is about to happen. On November 24th, America is going to sign its deal with the devil, under the guise of fighting the Islamic State. Ironic, since Iran created the IS for just this purpose. While I know the Prime Minister is forever worried about America, I am far more worried about Israel. Too often, they are left to clean up the messes we create in this country. However, this time it is not incompetence and naivete that are leading up to this disaster. It is a deliberate campaign by the Obama administration which, contrary to popular opinion, is as anti-Israel as any we have seen in the history of America. That is why, on November 25th, after the deed is done, I will begin the process of renouncing my American citizenship. There are a few steps involved, but it is relatively easy to do. I will not be a party to such blatant betrayal of the State of Israel. 
 
"...Ladies and Gentlemen, The fight against militant Islam is indivisible. When militant Islam succeeds anywhere, it’s emboldened everywhere. When it suffers a blow in one place, it's set back in every place. That’s why Israel’s fight against Hamas is not just our fight. It’s your fight. Israel is fighting a fanaticism today that your countries may be forced to fight tomorrow.
"For 50 days this past summer, Hamas fired thousands of rockets at Israel, many of them supplied by Iran. I want you to think about what your countries would do if thousands of rockets were fired at your cities. Imagine millions of your citizens having seconds at most to scramble to bomb shelters, day after day. You wouldn't let terrorists fire rockets at your cities with impunity. Nor would you let terrorists dig dozens of terror tunnels under your borders to infiltrate your towns in order to murder and kidnap your citizens. Israel justly defended itself against both rocket attacks and terror tunnels. Yet Israel also faced another challenge. We faced a propaganda war. Because, in an attempt to win the world’s sympathy, Hamas cynically used Palestinian civilians as human shields. It used schools, not just schools - UN schools, private homes, mosques, even hospitals to store and fire rockets at Israel. As Israel surgically struck at the rocket launchers and at the tunnels, Palestinian civilians were tragically but unintentionally killed. There are heartrending images that resulted, and these fueled libelous charges that Israel was deliberately targeting civilians...."
 
Some of those "libelous charges" would be hilarious if they had not been so revolting. Here is just a sample of some of the "heartrending images" that were circulated on Twitter:
Children who were "massacred" in Gaza...and in Syria, three years prior.
A family of four who were "massacred" in Gaza...and in Syria, three years prior.
A teenage girl splattered all over the sidewalk in Gaza, missing everything from the torso up...who also died when the tire from an airplane fell off and landed on her in the movie, "Final Destination:4".
And, the most shameless:
A married couple found buried in the rubble in Gaza, with their arms around each other as they apparently suffocated to death...who actually died in a tragic factory collapse in Indonesia a year earlier.
 
"We were not. We deeply regret every single civilian casualty. And the truth is this: Israel was doing everything to minimize Palestinian civilian casualties. Hamas was doing everything to maximize Israeli civilian casualties and Palestinian civilian casualties. Israel dropped flyers, made phone calls, sent text messages, broadcast warnings in Arabic on Palestinian television, always to enable Palestinian civilians to evacuate targeted areas. No other country and no other army in history have gone to greater lengths to avoid casualties among the civilian population of their enemies. This concern for Palestinian life was all the more remarkable, given that Israeli civilians were being bombarded by rockets day after day, night after night. As their families were being rocketed by Hamas, Israel's citizen army – the brave soldiers of the IDF, our young boys and girls – they upheld the highest moral values of any army in the world. Israel's soldiers deserve not condemnation, but admiration. Admiration from decent people everywhere. Now here’s what Hamas did: Hamas embedded its missile batteries in residential areas and told Palestinians to ignore Israel’s warnings to leave. And just in case people didn’t get the message, they executed Palestinian civilians in Gaza who dared to protest. No less reprehensible, Hamas deliberately placed its rockets where Palestinian children live and play. Let me show you a photograph. It was taken by a France 24 crew during the recent conflict. It shows two Hamas rocket launchers, which were used to attack us. You see three children playing next to them.
"Hamas deliberately put its rockets in hundreds of residential areas like this. Hundreds of them. Ladies and gentlemen, this is a war crime. And I say to President Abbas, these are the war crimes committed by your Hamas partners in the national unity government which you head and you are responsible for. And these are the real war crimes you should have investigated, or spoken out against from this podium last week. Ladies and Gentlemen, As Israeli children huddled in bomb shelters and Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system knocked Hamas rockets out of the sky, the profound moral difference between Israel and Hamas couldn’t have been clearer: Israel was using its missiles to protect its children. Hamas was using its children to protect its missiles. By investigating Israel rather than Hamas for war crimes, the UN Human Rights Council has betrayed its noble mission to protect the innocent. In fact, what it’s doing is to turn the laws of war upside-down. Israel, which took unprecedented steps to minimize civilian casualties, Israel is condemned.
"Hamas, which both targeted and hid behind civilians – that a double war crime - Hamas is given a pass. The Human Rights Council is thus sending a clear message to terrorists everywhere: Use civilians as human shields. Use them again and again and again. You know why? Because sadly, it works. By granting international legitimacy to the use of human shields, the UN’s Human Rights Council has thus become a Terrorist Rights Council, and it will have repercussions...."
 
Great line. A "Terrorist Rights Council". Great.
 
"...It probably already has, about the use of civilians as human shields. It’s not just our interest. It’s not just our values that are under attack. It’s your interests and your values.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, We live in a world steeped in tyranny and terror, where gays are hanged from cranes in Tehran, political prisoners are executed in Gaza, young girls are abducted en masse in Nigeria and hundreds of thousands are butchered in Syria, Libya and Iraq. Yet nearly half, nearly half of the UN Human Rights Council's resolutions focusing on a single country have been directed against Israel, the one true democracy in the Middle East – Israel. where issues are openly debated in a boisterous parliament, where human rights are protected by independent courts and where women, gays and minorities live in a genuinely free society. The Human Rights… (that’s an oxymoron, the UN Human Rights Council, but I’ll use it just the same), the Council’s biased treatment of Israel is only one manifestation of the return of the world’s oldest prejudices...."
 
Whoa! Bold! Brazen! In-Your-Face! I love it! "...that's an oxymoron, the UN Human Rights Council, but I'll use it just the same...". I cannot believe you said it, but I love it!

"...We hear mobs today in Europe call for the gassing of Jews. We hear some national leaders compare Israel to the Nazis. This is not a function of Israel’s policies. It's a function of diseased minds. And that disease has a name. It’s called anti-Semitism. It is now spreading in polite society, where it masquerades as legitimate criticism of Israel. For centuries the Jewish people have been demonized with blood libels and charges of deicide. Today, the Jewish state is demonized with the apartheid libel and charges of genocide. Genocide? In what moral universe does genocide include warning the enemy's civilian population to get out of harm's way? Or ensuring that they receive tons, tons of humanitarian aid each day, even as thousands of rockets are being fired at us? Or setting up a field hospital to aid for their wounded? Well, I suppose it's the same moral universe where a man who wrote a dissertation of lies about the Holocaust, and who insists on a Palestine free of Jews, Judenrein, can stand at this podium and shamelessly accuse Israel of genocide and ethnic cleansing.
 "In the past, outrageous lies against the Jews were the precursors to the wholesale slaughter of our people. But no more. Today we, the Jewish people, have the power to defend ourselves. We will defend ourselves against our enemies on the battlefield. We will expose their lies against us in the court of public opinion. Israel will continue to stand proud and unbowed. Ladies and Gentlemen, Despite the enormous challenges facing Israel, I believe we have an historic opportunity. After decades of seeing Israel as their enemy, leading states in the Arab world increasingly recognize that together we and they face many of the same dangers: principally this means a nuclear-armed Iran and militant Islamist movements gaining ground in the Sunni world. Our challenge is to transform these common interests to create a productive partnership. One that would build a more secure, peaceful and prosperous Middle East. Together we can strengthen regional security. We can advance projects in water, agriculture, in transportation, in health, in energy, in so many fields. I believe the partnership between us can also help facilitate peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Many have long assumed that an Israeli-Palestinian peace can help facilitate a broader rapprochement between Israel and the Arab World.
"But these days I think it may work the other way around: Namely that a broader rapprochement between Israel and the Arab world may help facilitate an Israeli-Palestinian peace. And therefore, to achieve that peace, we must look not only to Jerusalem and Ramallah, but also to Cairo, to Amman, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh and elsewhere. I believe peace can be realized with the active involvement of Arab countries, those that are willing to provide political, material and other indispensable support. I’m ready to make a historic compromise, not because Israel is occupying a foreign land.
"The people of Israel are not occupiers in the Land of Israel.
"History, archeology and common sense all make clear that we have had a singular attachment to this land for over 3,000 years. I want peace because I want to create a better future for my people. But it must be a genuine peace, one that is anchored in mutual recognition and enduring security arrangements, rock solid security arrangements on the ground.
"Because you see, Israel's withdrawals from Lebanon and Gaza created two militant Islamic enclaves on our borders from which tens of thousands of rockets have been fired at Israel. These sobering experiences heighten Israel's security concerns regarding potential territorial concessions in the future. Those security concerns are even greater today. Just look around you. The Middle East is in chaos. States are disintegrating. Militant Islamists are filling the void. Israel cannot have territories from which it withdraws taken over by Islamic militants yet again, as happened in Gaza and Lebanon. That would place the likes of ISIS within mortar range – a few miles – of 80% of our population. Think about that. The distance between the 1967 lines and the suburbs of Tel Aviv is like the distance between the UN building here and Times Square. Israel’s a tiny country...."
 
Mr. Prime Minister, may I make a suggestion? May we dispense with discussions about "pre-1967 borders"? I have found by calling it what it is--the 1949 Armistice Line--the conversation becomes less muddled. For some reason, the State of Israel is required to give back any gains it may have after winning a given war. Israel is the only country in history to have such an "obligation". But, given the fact that it was those very borders that led to the Six-Day War, perhaps the proper language will help to clarify the issue in the minds of those who do not understand the necessity of strategic depth.

"...That’s why in any peace agreement, which will obviously necessitate a territorial compromise, I will always insist that Israel be able to defend itself by itself against any threat...."
 
For those who claim that Prime Minister Netanyahu is my "idol", watch this: Sir, I have a problem with that last statement. Israel has given "piece for peace" many times, but she has never gotten peace in return. You know as well as I do--better than I do--that the "Palestinians" will never stop until Israel is no more. They are chopping away at Israel, little-by-little. The last time has been your worst nightmare, Mr. Prime Minister, because Gaza should never have been given up and, as I recall, you were opposed to it when Ariel Sharon handed it over. What was the result? As you just said, the influx of militant Islamists. By giving up another square inch of Israel, you will only give another square inch to those militant Islamists. My personal opinion is that Gaza needs to be retaken, completely and utterly possessed by Israel. That is the only way to achieve the goal of "demilitarization", because too many people are supplying Hamas, et. al., including the American administration. How on earth can Israel keep weapons out when having to fight all of the "humanitarians" who are doing nothing but feeding the terrorists the weapons they need to achieve their goal of Israel's destruction? No. Under no circumstances should you give anything else to the "Palestinians". Nothing. Shum davar.
 
"...Yet despite all that has happened, some still don't take Israel’s security concerns seriously. But I do, and I always will. Because, as Prime Minister of Israel, I am entrusted with the awesome responsibility of ensuring the future of the Jewish people and the future of the Jewish state. And no matter what pressure is brought to bear, I will never waver in fulfilling that responsibility. I believe that with a fresh approach from our neighbors, we can advance peace despite the difficulties we face.
"In Israel, we have a record of making the impossible possible. We’ve made a desolate land flourish. And with very few natural resources, we have used the fertile minds of our people to turn Israel into a global center of technology and innovation. Peace, of course, would enable Israel to realize its full potential and to bring a promising future not only for our people, not only for the Palestinian people, but for many, many others in our region. But the old template for peace must be updated. It must take into account new realities and new roles and responsibilities for our Arab neighbors. Ladies and Gentlemen, There is a new Middle East. It presents new dangers, but also new opportunities.
"Israel is prepared to work with Arab partners and the international community to confront those dangers and to seize those opportunities. Together we must recognize the global threat of militant Islam, the primacy of dismantling Iran’s nuclear weapons capability and the indispensable role of Arab states in advancing peace with the Palestinians. All this may fly in the face of conventional wisdom, but it’s the truth.
"And the truth must always be spoken, especially here, in the United Nations. Isaiah, our great prophet of peace, taught us nearly 3,000 years ago in Jerusalem to speak truth to power.
" לְמַעַן צִיּוֹן לֹא אֶחֱשֶׁה וּלְמַעַן יְרוּשָׁלִַם לֹא אֶשְׁקוֹט עַד-יֵצֵא כַּנֹּגַהּ צִדְקָהּ וִישׁוּעָתָהּ כְּלַפִּיד יִבְעָר. For the sake of Zion, I will not be silent. For the sake of Jerusalem, I will not be still. Until her justice shines bright, And her salvation glows like a flaming torch.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, Let's light a torch of truth and justice to safeguard our common future.
"Thank you."
 
Shalu Shalom Yerushalaim.
 
NOTE: There are a handful of inaccuracies in this transcript. Nothing terribly important, but for the Prime Minister's exact words, here is the video of his speech:

            



 

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Analysis of Mahmoud Abbas' United Nations Speech of September 26, 2014

For quite some time, I have been waging a war on the Internet against anti-Semitism, lies about Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu, and revisionist history. Today, I watched one source of those distortions of reality in action. Mahmoud Abbas' speech in front of the United Nations was a total, complete fabrication, containing nothing but self-serving distortions of reality and outright lies. Although it was time-consuming, I have reproduced his remarks in their entirety, inserting my commentary along the way.
After invoking the obligatory affirmation of "allah", President Abbas said the following:
"In this year, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly as the International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, Israel has chosen to make it a year of a new war of genocide perpetrated against the Palestinian people...."
Mr. Abbas, here is the definition of genocide, as well as those acts that constitute genocide, as set by international law:
When you can prove that Israel is engaging in the systematic eradication of the Arab world, and/or raping, mutilating, torturing, etc. "Palestinians", then you have a grievance.
 "...In this year, in this year in which this assembly on behalf of the countries and peoples of the world convey the world's yearning and determination to realize a just peace that achieves freedom and independence for the Palestinian people in their state of Palestine alongside with Israel, the occupying power has chosen to defy the entire world by launching its war on Gaza, by which its ships and tanks brutally assassinated lives and devastated the homes and schools and dreams of thousands of Palestinian children, women, and men, and in reality destroying the remaining hopes for peace...."
Israel launched the war? There were not, say, thirteen thousand rockets sailed at Israeli populations from Gaza since 2005? Two hundred rockets in one day? Three Israeli teenagers were not kidnapped and murdered by Hamas? You did not use concrete intended for civilian infrastructure to build tunnels with the purpose of infiltrating Israel, killing Israelis, and kidnapping soldiers? Prime Minister Netanyahu just got drunk one day and decided to unleash the IDF on poor, innocent Gaza?
"...I have addressed you, ladies and gentlemen, in this hole during similar days in 2012 and I cautioned that the colonial occupying power was preparing for a new nakba against the Palestinian people...."
Rich. Israel was "preparing for a new nakba". Mr. Mazen, you know as well as I do that the original Nakba was perpetrated by the Arab world, resulting in the mess you refer to as "Palestine". Now, I realize you have worked your entire life to perpetuate the myth that Israel is responsible for everything that is wrong with the world, but who was digging tunnels to infiltrate whom? Were the thousands of rockets fired from Gaza in "self-defense"? Can you provide proof that Israel fired first...thirteen thousand times?
"...I appealed to you: Prevent a new nakba, (unintelligible) for the establishment of a free and independent state of Palestine now. I returned to this same hole two months later, as Palestine was healing their wounds and her people were burying beloved martyred children, women, and men after yet another war waged against the Gaza strip. On that day, I stated certainly there was not a single person in the world needing the loss of the lives of tens of thousands of Palestinian children in order to confirm that Israel insists on occupation and there was no need for thousands of deadly raids and tons of explosives to remind the world that there is an occupation that must end and that there is a people that must be freed...."
Tens of thousands of "Palestinian" children? Mahmoud, you are engaging in a bit of hyperbole there. Besides, if you were so concerned about "Palestinian" children, you would not allow this:
"...Here we are again today. We find ourselves full of grief, regret, and bitterness, raising the same longstanding conclusions and questions after a new war, the third war, waged by the racist occupying state in five years against Gaza, this small, densely populated and precious part of our country...."
Racist? Arabs serve in the Knesset, in city councils, in the IDF (that must really "get your goat"), as judges, etc. As for "occupying", Israel completely withdrew from Gaza in 2005, and was rewarded with incessant rocket fire and homicidal attacks on Israelis. Personally, I think it is time they "occupy" Gaza, for real this time.
"...The difference today is that the scale of this genocidal crime is larger, and the list of martyrs, especially children, is longer, as well as lists of the wounded and disabled, and that dozens of families have been completely disunited. The difference today is that approximately half a million person were displaced from their homes, that the number of homes, schools, hospitals, public buildings, residential buildings, mosques, factories, and even cemeteries destroyed is unprecedented...."
I have an idea. Leave Israel alone, and they will leave you alone. How difficult is it to translate "stop firing rockets at us" into an Arabic dialect you can understand? Those "martyrs" would not be martyrs if you did not indoctrinate them from the time they are toddlers to hate Jews and to crave giving themselves as sacrifices for "allah". The buildings you mention would not have been destroyed had you not been firing rockets from those locations, and hiding those rockets within those buildings.
"...They followed our youngsters and people to avenge themselves on them and the cemeteries. The difference today is that the devastation caused by this recent aggression is unmatched in modern times as confirmed by a witness, the Honorable Commissioner General of UNRWA...."
President Abbas, you dare to quote an organization responsible for this curriculum in Gaza?:
"...This last war against Gaza constituted a series of absolute war crimes carried out before the eyes and ears of the entire world, moment-by-moment. No one can pretend today that he wouldn't realize the size of the crime. No one can support Israel's right to self-defense without regard for the fate of the thousands of victims of our people ignoring a simple fact that we remind them of today, that the life of a Palestinian is as precious as the life of any other human being...."
Then, Mr. President, no human being's life means anything to you:
"...Ignoring facts on the ground cannot erase them. We must also assume that no one will wonder anymore why extremism is rising, and why the culture of peace is losing ground and receding and why the efforts to achieve it are collapsing...."
You, Hassan Rouhani, and Barack Obama all had a meeting to get this story together did you not? It is not Islam that is the problem, right? The doctrine of Jihad is not the problem, right? The Hamas Charter is not the problem, right? The Koran is not the problem, right? Hatred and intolerance of anyone who does not follow "allah" is not the problem, right? No, of course not. It is Israel.
"...Yet we believe and hope that no one will try to aid the occupation this time in its impunity and its attempts to evade accountability for its crimes. In the name of Palestine, Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, I affirm here today, we will not forget nor will we forgive, for allah, for war criminals to escape punishment. I affirm before you that the people of Palestine hold fast--steadfast--to its legitimate right to defend itself against the Israeli war machine and to its legitimate right to resist this colonial racist Israeli occupation...."
Please allow me to quote Ambassador Ron Proser: "One cannot 'occupy' one's own home." Besides, Gaza has been Jew-free for nine years. What "occupation" is being aided? As for "the Israeli war machine", you would not have to worry about it if you would stop attacking Israel. Would a translation of that statement into Farsi help you to understand the concept?
"...At the same time, I would like to affirm that our grief, trauma, and anger will not for a moment make us abandon our humanity, our values, and our ethics...."
Your humanity, values, and ethics? Shooting at civilians?:
Attacking wedding parties and killing the groom for the "crime" of singing?:
"...We will always preserve our respect and commitment to international law, international humanitarian law, and the international consensus...."
Like firing from civilian populations?:
Like using human shields?:
"...We will maintain the traditions of our national struggle, established by Palestinian Fedayeen of martyrs and to which we committed ourselves since the onset of the Palestinian revolution in early 1965...."
Did Abu Mazen just renew his Jihad for the world to hear?
"...Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, in the midst of a torrent of massacres and storms of massive destruction we witnessed the peoples of the world gathering in huge demonstrations in the streets of many cities declaring their condemnation of aggression and occupation and their support for freedom for Palestine. We also witnessed the overwhelming majority of countries on the various continents declaring the same novel position and rushing to provide all kinds of support and assistance to our people. We witnessed the qualitative and quantitative broadening of activities of the international group Grass Roots' boycott campaign against Israel's policies of occupation, apartheid, and colonialism, especially among academia, cultural, student, and youth groups...."
Mahmoud, you certainly are verbose. "Massacres and storms of mass destruction". What massacres? Surely you do not refer to the 1929 Hebron Massacre. As for mass destruction, again, stop firing rockets at Israel! If you people would leave Israel alone, you would be amazed at the results. Peace. But, you do not want peace, and we know that. To the "overwhelming majority" who demonstrated and boycotted and showed their support for the "Palestinian" cause: My father always said, "If you find yourself marching in lockstep with the rest of the world, you are usually wrong." He was correct. For "academia", and the "cultural, student, and youth groups" I say: The terms "occupation", "apartheid", and "colonialism" are emotionally-charged words. Does that phrase ring any bells from your college days? The use of such words is a logical fallacy, designed to inflame the emotion of the listener and elicit the desired reaction. Congratulations. You have fallen victim to propaganda. Perhaps you should go back to your alma maters and demand a refund of your tuition.
"...In the name of Palestine we thank you to everyone who chose to stand with human values and demanded freedom, justice, and peace. All of those manifestations of (unintelligible) constituted an important message to those who were facing genocide in Gaza, helping them to feel, they felt that they were not alone...."
Yes, thank you for supporting Jihad. (Meanwhile, to the United Nations: It would be far easier to create a transcript if you would find interpreters sans accents.)
"...The recent Israeli war confirmed on the ground the crux of what the Israeli government had been declaring in closed rooms in conversations. This war came after long, difficult negotiations for more than eight months under the auspices of the United States and the efforts of President Barack Obama, and tenacious efforts of his Secretary of State, John Kerry...."
Tenacious, and back-stabbing....
"...We engaged in this endeavor which opened lines in good faith, and with a positive spirit we engaged with the efforts of the American administration and put forth our firm positions based on resolutions of international legitimacy. We genuinely respected all of our commitments and understandings as we watched ongoing and escalating Israeli violations...."
What violations would those be, Mr. Abbas?
"...We exercised unimaginable self-restraint, silencing our cries, and tending to our own wounds in order to give American efforts the best possible chance for success...."
Yes, I can see you "Palestinians" were really miserable:
 "...However, as usual, the Israeli government did not miss the opportunity without undermining the chances for peace. Throughout the months of negotiations, settlement construction, land confiscations, home demolitions, killing and arrest campaigns forced displacement and large campaign on the West Bank continued unabated and the unjust blockade on the Gaza strip was tightened...."
Those "settlements" are called "apartments", the land that was "confiscated" has not been designated as "Palestinian" by any legal authority, homes belonging to terrorists are routinely demolished (just as in America items belonging to drug lords are confiscated by police), the "killing and arrest campaigns" are part of Israel's fight against terrorism, and the "unjust blockade" was tightened after a ship was intercepted from Iran en route to Gaza to bring Hamas more weapons. Any other questions?
"...The occupation's campaign specifically targeted the city of Jerusalem and its inhabitants attempting to officially alter the spirit, identity, the character of the Holy City, focusing on the Aqsa Mosque, threatening grave consequences...."
Was that a threat? Let us get something straight: Jerusalem will never belong to the Arabs. If you recall your Koran, Mahmoud, you are supposed to turn your backs on Jerusalem when you pray. Are you not violating Islam with this obsession of possessing Jerusalem? What will you do with it? Live there? So, five times a day you will drive east until you are out of the city limits so you can pray?
"...At the same time, racist and armed gangs of settlers consisted (sic) in their crimes against the Palestinian people, the land, mosques, churches, properties, and olive trees. As usual, the Israeli government once again, failed the test of peace. It reached an agreement with the American administration regarding the release of a number of Palestinian prisoners and the occupation's days, and we continue to insist on releasing all of them...."
I think Prime Minister Netanyahu has rethought that whole idea, and I am pretty sure you will not be seeing any more prisoners.
"...When confronted with simple questions in the direct negotiations or through the American mediator, they did not--the Israeli government did not--hesitate to reveal its true positions. Israel refuses to end its occupation of the state of Palestine which they occupied in 1967...."
Well, Mahmoud, you certainly do not seem to have any objections to the "occupation" by Jordan and Egypt of the so-called "West Bank" and Gaza, respectively, before 1967. Why is it only disturbing to you that Israel is allegedly "occupying" them? By the way, you seem to forget the part where there was a war. Israel, to your chagrin, won. Guess who gets to keep the land? Sorry about that.
"...Rather, it seeks its continuation and entrenchment. It rejects the Palestinian state...."
If you wanted me to recognize your state, and your method of persuasion was to send homicide bombers, kidnap and execute soldiers, infiltrate my country via tunnels, and lob tens of thousands of rockets at my state, I would probably reject you, too.
"...It refuses to find a just solution to the plight of the Palestine refugees...."
Take it up with the Arab countries who created that refugee situation in 1948 when they descended upon Israel and attempted to wipe her off the map. Ask Jordan why they refused to take their own people back.
"...This is the official position of the government of Israel...."
No, it is not, but I think it should be.
"...The future proposed by the Israeli government for the Palestinian people is, at best, isolated ghettos for Palestinians on fragmented land without border and without sovereignty over its airspace, water, and natural resources, which will be under the subjugation and control of the racist sinners and the army of occupation and, at worst, will be almost a form of apartheid...."
Gaza has a border, and the "Palestinians" would not be in ghettos if Hamas did not use all of the aid sent to the Palestinian authority to create tunnels and buy weapons with which to attack Israel. Sovereignty over air space and water? President Abbas, you are a funny man. Can you say "rockets"? As for natural resources, I believe you get much of that from Egypt. Why aren't you decrying Cairo? "Almost a form of apartheid"? Did you not just accuse Israel of apartheid a few paragraphs ago? Make up your mind; is there apartheid, or are you afraid a "form of apartheid" will develop?
"...(They) say we are for two states; where is the state of Palestine? These are the characteristics they intend for the state of Palestine. Israel has confirmed in the course of negotiations that it rejects making peace with its victims, the Palestinian people...."
What? Since when are the "Palestinian" people victims of Israel? You are confused, Mahmoud. Perhaps old age is setting in. Israel is the victim of the "Palestinians". Whatever "innocent Palestinians" there may be in Gaza are being victimized by Hamas, who were voted in by those very same "Palestinians" who, by the way, were recently polled and by an 83% vote said they would have Ismael Haniyeh as their president. The "Palestinians" do not sound very "innocent" to me.
"...This has all been done concurrently with an attempt to give a religious nature to the conflict and with rising and rampant racism in the Israeli political and media discourse and its entrenchment in the school curriculum, and in a series of laws and practices of the occupation and its settlers...."
Really? Oh, my God. Talk about the pot calling the proverbial kettle black. President Abbas, you wish to speak about school curriculum, and racism in the media? How about this?:
(Credit goes to "The Times of Israel" for the second half of this transcript.)
"...This has all been done concurrent with an attempt to give a religious nature to the conflict and with the rising and rampant racism in the Israeli political and media discourse and its entrenchment in the school curriculum and in a series of laws and practices of the occupation and its settlers...."
And, of course, there is no "religious nature" to your Jihad:
"...This culture of racism, incitement and hatred was glaringly manifested in the despicable, appalling crime committed months ago by fascist settlers, who abducted the young Jerusalemite boy Mohammed Abu Khdeir, burnt him alive and killed him...."
Teenagers with too much testosterone are hardly "fascist", but there is no excuse for what they did. As for "racism, incitement and hatred", Israel is so "racist" that Arabs are allowed to drive taxis which, as I recall, is how one Israeli teenage girl got her throat slit.
"...Over the past years, the occupying Power has also pursued a policy aimed at deliberately weakening the Palestinian National Authority to undermine it and, in essence, to fully negate its role...."
President Abbas, I believe you have done that all by yourself, in concert with your "Palestinians" who prefer to have Hamas rule over Gaza. Why no mention of the fact that Hamas tried to have you assassinated, and the fact that it was the "occupying Power" who saved your sorry life?
"...The occupation targeted the work we have been relentlessly undertaking to establish the foundations of the State of Palestine that we want:..."
Do you mean tunnels for the infiltration of the State of Israel, the kidnapping and killing of soldiers and civilians, the collecting of rockets, grenades, AK-47's, IDF uniforms, and tranquilizers?
"...a sovereign and independent State living in peace and building bridges of mutual cooperation with its neighbors; that respects commitments, obligations and agreements; that strengthens the values of citizenship, equality, non-discrimination, the rule of law, human rights and pluralism; that deepens the Palestinian enlightened traditions of tolerance, coexistence and non-exclusion; that strengthens the culture of peace; that promotes the role of women; that establishes effective administration committed to the standards of good governance; and that cares for the needs and interests of its people...."
Which neighbors? Surely not Israel; you refuse to recognize the only Jewish State. "...that strengthens the values of...the rule of law, human rights and pluralism..."? You mean, like this?:
"...The occupation has, and continues to, to strike at this effort because it is the antithesis of its settlement policies and because it wants to destroy the chance for the realization of the Palestinian existence in an independent State within the framework of the two-State solution...."
So long as you continue to wish for the destruction of Israel, and focus all of your energies on that goal, there will never be a "two-State solution".
"...When our efforts to end the internal division through national dialogue succeeded a few months ago and we prepared to restore the unity of our land, nation and institutions and formed the national consensus government and began the process to lead to the holding of presidential and legislative elections, all countries of the world welcomed this achievement, with the exception of Israel, which has constantly sought to fragment our land and our national unity...."
Do you mean unity with Hamas? You are kidding, right? Some of us remember who the Palestinian Liberation Organization is, Mr. President. We remember the games Yasser Arafat played, even before the advent of the Internet, instant video access, and closed-captioning. You may rest assured Israel remembers, and Israelis are not fools. You will never achieve your goals so long as you use terrorism in your attempts to obtain them.
"...Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen,
"And now, where do we go from here?
"The idea that it is possible to simply return to the past patterns of work, which repeatedly failed, is naive at best and, in any case, is wrong, as it ignores the fact that it is no longer acceptable, nor possible, to repeat methods that have proven futile or to continue with approaches that have repeatedly failed and require comprehensive review and radical correction...."
Mahmoud: "Physician, heal thyself."
"...It is impossible, and I repeat – it is impossible – to return to the cycle of negotiations that failed to deal with the substance of the matter and the fundamental question. There is neither credibility nor seriousness in negotiations in which Israel predetermines the results via its settlement activities and the occupation’s brutality...."
You are correct that "it is impossible...to return to the cycle of negotiations that failed..."; when will you "Palestinians" learn that violence and hatred of Jews will never lead to peace? Oh, that is right. My previous statement assumes facts not in evidence, that the "Palestinians" want peace. You do not:
"...There is no meaning or value in negotiations for which the agreed objective is not ending the Israeli occupation and achieving the independence of the State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital on the entire Palestinian Territory occupied in the 1967 war...."
You are correct that "there is no meaning or value in negotiations", but you fail to mention that in Islam there are no negotiations. Only hudnas. All you Arabs do is pause long enough to regroup, and then you attack again. You are relentless in your efforts to eradicate the State of Israel. Well, my deepest apologies, Mr. President, but you have selected the wrong foe in Prime Minister Netanyahu. He knows far more about your tactics than I ever will. Perhaps you should pray to "allah" to find some dimwit to replace him someday. But, then again, good luck finding an Israeli "dimwit".
"...And, there is no value in negotiations which are not linked to a firm timetable for the implementation of this goal.
"The time has come to end this settlement occupation...."
Abu, I am tired of your use of the terms "settlers", "settlement(s)", and "occupation". The Israelis are not "settlers", and their homes are not "settlements". That is their land. The "Palestinians" are the settlers. Jordan refused to take your people back after they attempted to annihilate the State of Israel, so you hijacked their land. "Justice", which you so boldly demand, would be if the "Palestinians" were expelled from Israeli land and sent back where they belong. "Palestinians" were given seven--seven--different lucrative offers of land. All were refused. Why? Because you do not want your own state unless it means the eradication of the State of Israel.
"...Palestine refuses to have the right to freedom of her people, who are subjected to the terrorism by the racist occupying Power and its settlers, remain hostage to Israel’s security conditions...."
"Terrorism"? Name one Israeli homicide bomber. Take your time. I will wait.
"...The people of Palestine are actually the ones who need immediate international protection, which we are seeking through international organizations, and who are in need of the security and peace that they are missing more than any other people, and the children of Palestine are worthy of the world’s efforts to ensure that their childhood, dreams and lives will not be devastated once again...."
Um, who is devastating the childhood of your "Palestinians"?:
"...It is time for the chapters of this prolonged, ongoing tragedy to be closed...."
Agreed.
"...Those who were uprooted from their warm homes, good land and beautiful country in Al-Nakba 66 years ago, pushed into the misery of exile and life as refugees and now being forced into new waves of expulsion or onto the ships of death in the world’s seas, are in need of assurances that they will not be displaced from their homes again, that their homes will not be destroyed again, and that they will not spend their lives waiting for the explosion of a new war...."
Tell it to Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Egypt. They are the ones who displaced you. Of course, that was after your "Palestinians" (who were then Jordanians) massacred countless Jews in an attempt to prevent the establishment of the State of Israel.
"...It is time for this long tragedy to end...."
Agreed.
"...We will not accept to forever be the ones being demanded to prove their good intentions by making concessions at the expense of their rights and to remain silent as they are killed and their land is stolen, and to understand the conditions of the other party and the importance of preserving its coalition government, while it entrenches its occupation...."
Mahmoud, get it straight. You do not have a "land". You have repeatedly refused to accept land from Israel, and frankly you should be glad I do not run that country, because I would not offer you a single acre. As for your incessant references to "occupation", would you like to provide current photos of the tanks and IDF troops present in the streets of Gaza? Because all I have seen is this:
"...We are exhausted of the additional tests we must undergo to prove our efficiency, competence and eligibility to earn our natural, simple right to live a normal life and our inherent right to expect a stable and ordinary tomorrow, to dream about more beautiful days, and for our youth to be able to plan their coming days and years safely in peace and freedom over our land, like other peoples of the world...."
You brought it on yourselves, Mahmoud. Your behavior over the years demands that you prove yourselves. Only a fool would take you at your word after a century of hostility by the Arab world directed at Israel.
"...The time has come for a real, just peace to prevail in the land of peace...."
Agreed.
"...Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen,
"We, and all the Arab countries, have constantly cautioned about the disastrous consequences of the continuation of the Israeli occupation and the denial of freedom and independence for the people of Palestine...."
As you stated earlier, there is no "Palestine". Where is it? Where are its borders? You are pleading the cause of a country that does not exist, and will not exist, unless and until you get over your hatred of the Jewish people.
"...We have repeatedly draw attention to the fact that allowing Israel to act as a state above the law with impunity and absolving it of any accountability or punishment for its policies, aggression and defiance of the international will and legitimacy has absolutely provided fertile ground and an environment conducive for the growth of extremism, hatred and terrorism in our region...."
You forgot to mention poverty. President Abbas, it is very nice of you to have coordinated your message with the current anti-Semitic American administration and the Islamic State of Iran. The collective use of the term "aggression" to describe "terrorism" has clearly been a foundation to set up your attack against the State of Israel. Suddenly, "extreme, radical Islam" is no longer the problem in the Middle East. Now, it is Israel. Good job, except for one thing. Some of us studied critical thinking in college. You will not persuade us with your incessant propaganda. You speak only to the addle-brained.
"...Confronting the terrorism that plagues our region by groups – such as “ISIL” and others that have no basis whatsoever in the tolerant Islamic religion or with humanity and are committing brutal and heinous atrocities – requires much more than military confrontation...."
"...tolerant Islamic religion..."?:
"...It is an urgent matter that requires much more than condemnations and declarations of positions, which are of course necessary. What is primarily needed is a comprehensive, credible strategy to dry out the sources of terrorism and eradicate its roots in all political, intellectual, economic and social spheres in our region. It requires the creation of solid foundations for a reasonable consensus that makes the fight against all forms of terrorism in any place everywhere a collective task that is undertaken by the alliance of nations, peoples and civilizations. It requires, in this context and as a priority, bringing an end to the Israeli occupation of our country, which constitutes in its practices and perpetuation, an abhorrent form of state terrorism and a breeding ground for incitement, tension and hatred...."
Thank you for making my point. Equating Israel with Islamic terror is nothing short of obscene.
"...Mr. President,
"At this moment in which we are still suffering from the horrors of war, we face a formidable challenge to reconstruct what has been destroyed by the occupation...."
It has been destroyed by Hamas' reign of terror.
"...At the invitation of the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Kingdom of Norway, which we deeply appreciate, the city of Cairo will host next month an international conference for the relief and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. Our government will present comprehensive reports to the conference on the losses inflicted by the aggression on the different sectors of life, and it will provide details of the plans and programs that will be rapidly implemented and supervised in the Gaza Strip to meet immediate relief needs and the requirements of reconstruction, in full coordination with United Nations agencies and bodies...."
Cute. You fail to mention that Cairo has repeatedly said it is sick to death of Hamas.
"...While we reiterate our appreciation and gratitude to all countries and organizations that rushed to provide assistance to the Palestinian people during and after the war, we are confident that brotherly and friendly countries will not waver in supporting support the plans and programs we will present and that the conference will achieve practical results that fulfill the expectations and needs of the victims o0f this aggression...."
Again, Mahmoud, your memory fails. What about the eleven humanitarian cease-fires in this latest conflict in Gaza, during which Israel tried (or attempted) to provide supplies to your precious "Palestinians", but were repeatedly thwarted by Hamas? On those missions that were successful, where is your gratitude to Israel?
"...We reaffirm here that the primary prerequisite for the success of all these plans and efforts is an end to the ongoing Israeli blockade that has for years suffocated the Gaza Strip and turned it into the largest prison in the world for nearly two million Palestinian citizens...."
Stop importing rockets and other weapons from Iran.
"...At the same time, we affirm our commitment and the necessity to consolidate the cease-fire through negotiations under the auspices of Egypt...."
You mean "hudna", which has--at the outside--an expiration date of ten years.
"...However, in order to avert repeating the cycle of war and cycle reconstruction every two or three years, it is imperative to focus on the fundamental issue and starting point, which is that the suffering of Gaza will not be completely alleviated except by ending the occupation and achieving the independence of the State of Palestine...."
Wrong. The "fundamental issue and starting point" is terrorism waged by Hamas, et. al. The "suffering of Gaza will not be completely alleviated" until you recognize the one and only Jewish State, accept Israel's existence, and stop attacking them every chance you get.
"...Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen,
"During the past two weeks, Palestine and the Arab Group undertook intensive contacts with the various regional groups in the United Nations to prepare for the introduction of a draft resolution to be adopted by the United Nations Security Council on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to push forward the efforts to achieve peace...."
No resolution is going to stop your aggression against the State of Israel.
"...This endeavor reaffirms our commitment to achieve a just peace through a negotiated solution and our adoption of a diplomatic and political effort through United Nations bodies. This endeavor is inspired by and based fully on the spirit and provisions of the many resolutions you have approved in the General Assembly and those adopted by the Security Council, which have set the foundations for a lasting solution and a just peace.
"This endeavor aspires to correct the deficiency of the previous efforts to achieve peace by affirming the goal of ending the Israeli occupation and achieving the two-State solution, of the State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, over the entire territory occupied in 1967, alongside the State of Israel and reaching a just and agreed upon solution to the plight of the Palestine refugees on the basis of resolution 194, with a specific time frame for the implementation of these objectives as stipulated in the Arab Peace Initiative...."
"Arab Peace Initiative." Now there is a contradiction in terms.
"...This will be linked to the immediate resumption of negotiations between Palestine and Israel to demarcate the borders, reach a detailed and comprehensive agreement and draft a peace treaty between them...."
Israel is not buying your hudnas.
"...Ladies and Gentlemen,
"We are confident that this endeavor will receive broad and full support by those who are committed to ensuring that our country will not witness new wars and atrocities, by those who wish to support a campaign to combat terrorism, by those who believe that it is necessary to act expediently to rectify the historical injustice inflicted by Al-Nakba on the Palestinian people, and by those who wish to see peace prevail in the land of the monotheistic religions...."
Your country, should you ever obtain one, will always "witness new wars and atrocities" so long as you continue to start them.
"...The adoption of this resolution will affirm what you strived to realize in this year is the International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, who will continue their struggle and steadfastness and will rise brave and strong from the rubble and destruction.
"We, as our poet Mahmoud Darwish said: “are infected with an incurable disease, that is hope, and we love life if we are given the chance for it”...."
Golda Meir: "We will have peace when the Arabs love their children more than they hate us."
"...Mr. President Ladies and Gentlemen,
There is an occupation that must end now.
There is a people that must be freed immediately.
The hour of independence of the State of Palestine has arrived...."
If so, Mr. President, you are doing everything wrong to accomplish it.


The Only True Way to End Racism