Does the World Really Care About Palestinians?

Monday, September 21, 2015 |  Ryan Jones  ISRAEL TODAY

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Palestinians

The video of Palestinian Authority (PA) police officers brutally beating a young Palestinian boy (see below) forces us to once again raise the question: Does the world really care about the Palestinians?

Yes, the video went viral on Arab social media, where it sparked a widespread angry response. But it was hardly mentioned outside the Middle East, and when it was emphasis was placed on how the officers acted independently and were punished. The PA was spared blame.

Imagine had a group of IDF soldiers or Israeli police officers administered this particular beating. A special session UN Security Council hearing, American and European condemnations, and threats of International Criminal Court lawsuits would not be long in coming. To say nothing of the widespread global media attention the incident would elicit.

But the boy wasn’t beaten by Jews. Sure, the effect on him was all the same, but the identity of the criminals is everything. Palestinians beating a Palestinian is nothing. Israelis beating a Palestinian is something.

Which is why we must again ask: Does the world actually care about the well-being of Palestinians? Or is this really all about badmouthing Israel? Is it the treatment and well-being of individual Palestinians that matters, or is it rather the identity of those doling out the abuse, be it real or perceived?

If Israel wasn’t involved, would the Palestinians garner any attention at all? Does the world give any thought to the hundreds and thousands of Palestinians that are routinely abused by Hamas, Fatah and any number of other Palestinian armed groups?

This video and the very muted response to it again highlights that the only time most in the international community give a damn about a Palestinian life is when doing so provides an opportunity to smear the Jews and condemn their state.

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Obama Admin Deals Demoralizing Blow to Palestinian Cause

Sunday, January 11, 2015 |  Israel Today Staff

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Peace Process

While staunchly backing the establishment of an independent Palestinian Arab state, the Obama Administration last week dealt a demoralizing blow to Palestinian efforts to achieve that goal unilaterally.

Shortly after losing a UN Security Council vote to recognize a Palestinian state and demand a full, unconditional Israeli withdrawal from said state, the Palestinian Authority threatened to become the newest member of the International Criminal Court, where it would no doubt file copious lawsuits against Israel and its leaders.

But US State Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki reminded the Palestinian Authority that it isn’t a state, and therefore can’t join the ICC.

“The United States does not believe that the state of Palestine qualifies as a sovereign state and does not recognize it as such and does not believe that it is eligible to accede to the Rome Statute,” Psaki said at a Washington press conference.

She went on to warned that the US Congress would now deliberate on whether or not to halt $400 million in annual financial aid to the Palestinian Authority.

Former US Middle East negotiator Dennis Ross encouraged European powers to take a similar stand against ongoing Palestinian intransigence if they are serious about facilitating a genuine peace.

In a New York Times op-ed, Ross noted that the Palestinian Authority had rejected three separate peace deals - in 2000, 2008, and 2014 - and that the Palestinian leadership had unfortunately been conditioned to believe it could get everything for nothing.

“Palestinian political culture is rooted in a narrative of injustice; its anti-colonialist bent and its deep sense of grievance treats concessions to Israel as illegitimate. Compromise is portrayed as betrayal,” he explained. “If saying yes is costly and doing nothing isn’t, why should we expect the Palestinians to change course?”

Ross insisted that the Palestinians must start suffering consequences for so many failed peace efforts.

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Senator: UN Risks Funding Cut for Meddling in "Peace Process"

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Sunday, December 28, 2014

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Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) warned in Jerusalem Saturday that there will be a "violent backlash" from the U.S. Congress if the United Nations attempts to "take over the peace process" in the Middle East.

Standing next to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Graham said the House and Senate, both slated to be controlled by Republicans after the first week of January, will act, "if there is any effort by the UN Security Council to set the terms of peace negotiations, avoiding direct talks.  President Obama in 2011 said the United Nations was not the right venue when it came to discussing the peace process in reaching a two-state solution.  I agree with what President Obama said in 2011."

Graham's comments come a day after Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told al-Arabiya that the Palestinians will push the UN Security Council to vote Monday for an Israeli Defense Forces pullback to pre-1967 borders.

Erekat also compared Netanyahu with the leader of the Islamic State or ISIS.

The Jerusalem Post quoted part of Netanyahu's response Saturday night to the comparison:  "This is the same Palestinian Authority that joins hands with Hamas, incites constantly against Israel, the kind of incitement that has led to an attack that we witnessed just two days ago of a Molotov cocktail thrown at a little girl, and I commend our security forces for apprehending the terrorists."

Netanyahu continued, "But the same Palestinian Authority is going to try to bring the UN Security Council a resolution that seeks to impose on us conditions that will undermine our security.  And I want to assure you that we will stand firmly and reject such a dictate.  We always have; we always will."

Graham cautioned that "any effort by the French, the Jordanians or anyone to avoid direct negotations between the Israelis and Palestinians over the peace process, anyone who tries to take this to the UN Security council," will face congressional resprisals.

He also backed Netanyahu's warnings about the P5-plus 1 nations reaching a bad deal with Iran concerning its nuclear weapons program.

"If Iran walks away from the table, sanctions will be re-imposed," Graham said.  "If Iran cheats regarding any deal that we enter into with the Iranians, sanctions will be re-imposed.  It is important to let the Iranians know that from an American point of view, sanctions are alive and well.  So we will be following your counsel and advice," he told the prime minister.

Prime Minister Netanyahu: Iran Agreement a 'Historic Mistake'

Prime Minister Netanyahu:  Iran Agreement a 'Historic Mistake' Click here to watch: Prime Minister Netanyahu: Iran Agreement an 'Historic Mistake' Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu opened Sunday's weekly cabinet meeting by mounting a  sharp attack on the agreement reached Saturday night between Iran and Western powers over the nuclear issue. Netanyahu stated, "For the first time, the world's  leading powers have agreed to uranium enrichment in Iran while ignoring the UN Security Council decisions that they themselves led. Sanctions that required many years to put in place contain the best chance for a peaceful solution. These sanctions have been given up in exchange for cosmetic Iranian concessions that can be cancelled in weeks." "Implications of this agreement threaten many countries - including, of course, Israel. Israel is not bound by this agreement," Netanyahu affirmed. "What we achieved last night in Geneva is not a historic agreement; it is a historic mistake." He continued, "Today the world has become a more dangerous place, because the most dangerous regime in the world took another step towards achieving the most dangerous weapon in the world."