Palistine Not Recognize Israel?

For John, BLUF:  Even without Lord Balfour, would we still have the same problem, somewhere?  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Deep down, inside, I always thought the Palistinian Authority "recognizing" Israel, and it's right to exist, was part of the peace process.  If Israel has no right to exist, what does it have?  Maybe a peace guarantee, such as the 1994 Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances.

The United States believes there is no need for the Palestinian Authority (PA) to recognize Israel as a Jewish state as part of a peace agreement, State Department Spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Saturday.

Psaki, who spoke to the PA-based Arabic-language Al-Quds newspaper, said, “The American position is clear, Israel is a Jewish state.  However, we do not see a need that both sides recognize this position as part of the final agreement.”

What about the Oslo Accords? There is this item from last July's Algemeiner:

Speakers at the international Palestinian solidarity conference called “Palestine:  Manifestation of Muslim Ummah’s Unity,” held in Karachi, Pakistan, this week said that Israel is an illegitimate state that must cease to exist.

Mohammad Zazeh, who is described as one of the leaders of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the international Palestinian group headed by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, said the PLO has never recognized Israel as a legitimate state, and that the 1993 Oslo Accords should not be misunderstood to have constituted Palestinian recognition of Israel.

“Israel is an illegitimate state. Palestine belongs to Palestinians. An independent state of Palestine is what the Palestinians will get recognized,” Zazeh said, according to Pakistan’s largest financial daily, the Business Recorder.

Zazeh added, “Palestine and al Quds belong to all Arabs and Muslims. This is sacred land.”

The U.S.-mediated preliminary peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians are set to begin soon in Washington, DC.

Zazeh added, “Palestine and al Quds belong to all Arabs and Muslims. This is sacred land.”

The U.S.-mediated preliminary peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians are set to begin soon in Washington, DC. So, I asked the Department of State Press Offce and they helpfully linked me to this Monday Press Conference by Ms Jen Psaki.&nbs; In part it reads:

QUESTION: There seems to be some confusion over some comments that you made on Friday about the whole recognition of Israel as a Jewish state.

MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm.

QUESTION: I’m wondering if you can address those. Has the Administration changed its position on this?

MS. PSAKI: We have not. Our position has been for quite some time that Israel is a Jewish state.

QUESTION: Okay. And is it also your position that the Israeli demand for the Palestinians to recognize Israel as a Jewish state is something to be determined in the negotiations?

MS. PSAKI: Yes.

QUESTION: All right.

QUESTION: It’s not a precondition?

QUESTION: And that is not a precondition?

MS. PSAKI: We’re not going to negotiate, I’m not going to negotiate what should or should not be in a framework. Obviously, that’s going to happen between the parties. Our position has remained the same.

QUESTION: Okay. But your position that Israel is a Jewish state does not in any way preclude, let’s say, a different outcome by the two parties, correct?

MS. PSAKI: That is our position. I’m not going to comment further.

So either the Palestinians are going to have to invent a term they can live with or there will be no peace.  What can the Israelis offer in exchange?  Secretary of State Kerry and his team have their work cut out for them in helping to broker an agreement.  But, at the end of the day, the Palestinians and Israelis are going to have to want this.  Mr Kerry's desire, by itself, will not be enough.

These are going to be interesting negotiations.

Regards  —  Cliff