by MK Yariv Levin
Let's not delude
ourselves that only Hamas was to blame for the recent kidnapping and
murder of three Israeli teens. Palestinian society as a whole was
responsible, even if the attack was carried out by Hamas.
The news of the attack
was received by the Palestinian public, both in the Gaza Strip and Judea
and Samaria, with great joy and celebration. This was not shocking,
given the fact that nothing unites Palestinians more than their shared
hatred of Jews and Israel and their desire to establish a Palestinian
state in the entire land of Israel, which runs contrary to the
self-delusions of many Israelis who are trying to resuscitate the
fallacious peace process.
While Palestinian
Authority President Mahmoud Abbas may have belatedly appeared before the
cameras and condemned the kidnapping, the Fatah organization, which is
led by Abbas, has continued to show support for the murderers of the
teens. Over the past several weeks, official Fatah Facebook pages have
been filled with messages of support for the kidnappers. One cartoon
uploaded to the pages shows three mice, with Stars of David on their
backs, biting at the end of a fishing line. The title of the cartoon is
"Masterstroke."
This pattern of
behavior by Palestinian leaders is nothing new. On one hand, before
cameras and in international forums, Palestinian leaders condemn
violence against Israelis. On the other hand, internally, they continue
to promote violence, as exhibited by the monthly salaries Abbas gives to
families of terrorists imprisoned in Israel, with the salary scale
based on how severe the attack was.
It is not hard to
discern that Fatah and Hamas have nearly identical identities. Anyone
examining the positions of these groups would immediately find that
there is no fundamental difference in their attitudes toward Israel.
They are divided on only two points: the nature of the state to be
established in place of Israel, and the tactics of how to take over all
of Israel.
On the question of
tactics, Fatah has abided for years by the strategy of stages, under
which diplomatic agreements are used as a means to achieve the ultimate
defeat of Israel. Fatah's final goal remains the "liberation" of the
entire land of Israel and the elimination of the State of Israel. Fatah
avoids making any basic ideological concessions, as manifested by its
refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
Hamas, meanwhile,
refuses to make any agreements with Israel. It rejects the strategy of
stages, believing that only armed struggle will lead to the "liberation"
of the entire land of Israel.
Given this, it is no
wonder that there is widespread cross-societal support among
Palestinians for terrorist attacks, as well as support for harboring
terrorists and turning them into cultural heroes. The Palestinian
Authority is the entity which demands the release of terrorists, greets
them with celebrations and names city squares and streets after them.
Moreover, the PA
education system teaches the next generation of Palestinians to hate
Israel, using anti-Semitic motifs. The PA educates children to continue
the armed struggle, until Israel is completely destroyed. This is the
clear reality that many still refuse to see. We all want peace and we
all hope there is someone to make peace with. But the desire for peace
must not blind us from reality and prevent us from acting to protect the
interests of Israel and the security of its citizens.
Hamas is our enemy, and
it must pay. But this will not be enough the solve the problem posed by
a Palestinian society that supports and encourages terrorism.
Israeli society must
stand firm. We should strengthen the settlement enterprise in a way that
will prove to the Palestinians that we are here to stay and that
terrorism will not achieve anything.
MK Yariv Levin (Likud) is coalition chairman and a member of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_opinion.php?id=9017
Copyright - Original materials copyright (c) by the authors.
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