Gaza City – Palestinians Seek New Partner: American Jews

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    The Palestinians have long feared the Jewish lobby in Washington. Now, they are embracing it. During a swing through the U.S. capital this month, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was the guest of honor at a dinner with a small but influential gathering of more than 30 Jewish US leaders and political heavyweights.Gaza City – The Palestinians have long feared the Jewish lobby in Washington. Now, they are embracing it.

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    During a swing through the U.S. capital this month, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was the guest of honor at a dinner with a small but influential gathering of more than 30 Jewish American leaders and political heavyweights. In what participants on both sides have described as a highly successful meeting, Abbas patiently fielded questions for more than 90 minutes, discussing such touchy topics as Mideast peace talks, anti-Israeli incitement in the Palestinian media, violence and terrorism and the Holocaust.

    It was a dramatic departure for the Palestinians, who have traditionally viewed the American Jewish leadership with a mixture of awe, animosity and envy for its political skills and influence over what is seen as a pro-Israel U.S. policy.

    Palestinian officials say it was the first time Abbas has met with such a large and diverse group of Jewish leaders, and reflected a realization that courting American Jews could benefit the Palestinians.

    “I think it’s a mistake to ignore these institutions and communities by saying that they are against us, and that we should not talk to them,” Abbas told The Associated Press. “No, we should sit with them, and we should try to convince them by talking to them.”

    With indirect U.S.-brokered peace talks just getting under way, Abbas said he also felt it was important to explain his positions. Specifically, he defended his refusal to hold direct negotiations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying more progress is needed before face-to-face talks can begin.

    This week, Abbas said in the West Bank that he has heard nothing from Israel to encourage him to move to direct talks — highlighting his decision to find other ways to influence events as efforts to engage Israel falter.

    According to a transcript of the June 9 dinner, Abbas made a number of conciliatory statements. He repeatedly condemned violence, recognized the Jewish connection to the Holy Land and informed the audience that he had sent representatives to attend Holocaust commemoration ceremonies in Russia and Poland.

    “I want to tell everyone that these people suffered, and we are suffering. Now we want peace between each other,” Abbas was quoted as saying. He rejected Holocaust denial, a common sentiment in Palestinian society.

    Abbas also acknowledged Israeli security concerns, saying he would allow foreign troops into a future Palestine to help maintain the peace. He vowed to remove incitement from Palestinian airwaves and textbooks.

    The event took place at the S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace, and the audience included leading personalities that spanned the spectrum of Jewish opinion.

    Among them were Elliot Abrams, a veteran of the Reagan and second Bush White Houses; Sandy Berger, the National Security Adviser to Bill Clinton; publisher Mortimer Zuckerman; and leaders from major Jewish groups like the powerful AIPAC lobby, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and the Anti-Defamation League.

    The center’s president, former Democratic congressman Robert Wexler, said that Abbas’ comments — particularly his condemnations of violence — went a long way with the audience.

    “The unequivocal rejection of violence was both a powerful statement and made a significant impression,” Wexler said.

    Abbas’ statements on other issues, such as anti-Israel incitement in Palestinian media and textbooks, were less persuasive with some participants, Wexler said. In vowing to fight incitement, Abbas suggested a dormant U.S.-Israeli-Palestinian committee resume work on the topic.

    Nonetheless, Wexler said Abbas’ attempt to reach out to the Jewish community appeared to be widely appreciated.

    He said Abbas insisted the session be conducted on the record, and after a brief opening statement in Arabic, conducted the session in English to better connect with the audience. Abbas rarely speaks English in public.

    Participants said Abbas was so engrossed in the conversation that he didn’t even eat his dinner. When flying home two days later, he still spoke warmly about the event.

    “The point I think leaders took was that this was a unique opportunity to create a true, candid dialogue between parties, meaning the Palestinian leadership and the American Jewish community, where that dialogue in the past has been lacking,” Wexler said.

    Not all guests were swayed.

    Abrams, a top Bush adviser on Mideast affairs, acknowledged that Abbas’ condemnations of violence make him “an appealing person.” But he said that most of Abbas’ comments lacked substance, and that he likely did little to change people’s minds.

    “For those in the ‘Peace Now’ camp,” Abrams said, referring to a dovish Israeli activist group, “it showed how dedicated to peace he is. He seems to realize fully that the use of violence will only harm Palestinians. But for those who are more skeptical about his ability to deliver, his evasiveness suggested that he doesn’t want to be pinned down on substantive issues.”

    Abrams acknowledged that the Palestinians’ meeting with Jewish leaders is “an intelligent thing to do,” but added, “if they think it is a substitute for meeting with the government of Israel, they are making a huge mistake.”

    Israeli government officials in Jerusalem and the Israeli Embassy in Washington declined to comment on the meeting.

    Abbas said he hoped to continue the dialogue by inviting the group to visit the West Bank. He also hopes to hold a similar meeting with Jewish leaders in France in the near future.

    “I talked to them in the same language that I speak on the Palestinian street. I found them accepting what I was saying, and this is good,” Abbas said.


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    35 Comments
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    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    The removal of books is one thing, what about the television cartoons that brainwash the little kids — he takes away one thing and replaces it with another. Either way, those little children are brainwashed!! To HATE, KILL, MURDER< ETC.!!!

    Paskunyak
    Paskunyak
    13 years ago

    “Palestinians Seek New Partner: American Jews”

    The Reform & Conservative breakaways from Judaism have found their home: a Palestinian state. Because they won’t ‘thrive’ in Israel or in a Jewish state.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    If AIPAC and ADL were there, it’s all good. Abbas is our best friend among the Palestinians right now, so we might as well keep him happy.

    Leidageyher
    Leidageyher
    13 years ago

    finally a smart move by the arab community. the american jews and haredim will help them critically hurt our bretherin.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    a jew can go so down?

    MAYER
    MAYER
    13 years ago

    Are all the jewish congresmen members of the neture karte?
    I don’t understand what is the difference between them. Why arn’t the netura karte allowed to do the same ?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    A new low for the American Jewish community. It won’t change until they get a huge slap in the face from their “Peace Partners” the peace-loving Palestinians. Just sit back and wait for the fireworks…..

    REB YONA
    REB YONA
    13 years ago

    I’m waiting for all those who are always first to condem NK for meeting with “terrorists,” to come foward and denounce this meeting and calling to put all of those who were there in cherem etc.

    shasnik
    shasnik
    13 years ago

    finally they have realized that what netura karta has done for years is the only way to acheive a true peace.

    Conservative One
    Conservative One
    13 years ago

    As long as you agree with him that Israel has no right to exist he will be your friend but the moment to disagree with him on Israel he no longer is your friend. Shame on these so called Jewish leaders.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    He said nice things in English in a closed meeting with American Jews in DC. This isn’t exactly a profile in courage.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    What’s the point? Did he discuss the fact that Hammas, the terrorist organization took over the land Israel gave over to the Palestinian people and use it to attack Israel in the Gaza? Did he discuss how the Gaza is now used against Israel like the flotilla incident where they planned to attack Israeli soldiers and the video proved who started the attacks? Where was the truth in these talks? Again what was the point?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Ha’kol kol… Ve’hayadeim yedei…
    Arafat in a nicer suit

    nudnick
    nudnick
    13 years ago

    The Palestinians are a big problem for Israel and a two state salutation is the best option – let them trade the settlements for land divide Jerusalem based on neighborhoods (not east west)
    But the best option is Moshiach

    professor
    professor
    13 years ago

    Abbas is speaking out of both sides of his mouth. If he wants non-violence and peace as he says, he needs to speak to Israel . He clearly embraces violence against Israel, because that is his only way to incite a response from Israel for the outside world to see.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    The following is from Abbas’ book which he himself wrote and is found in wikipedia under the caption of holocaust denial.

    Abbas wrote:
    “ It seems that the interest of the Zionist movement, however, is to inflate this figure [of Holocaust deaths] so that their gains will be greater. This led them to emphasize this figure [six million] in order to gain the solidarity of international public opinion with Zionism. Many scholars have debated the figure of six million and reached stunning conclusions—fixing the number of Jewish victims at only a few hundred thousand.”

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    BTW, this is not the big deal it was made out to be. I know someone who was at this meeting, and they said nothing changed. The lefties, who already believe that Abbas is a legit peace partner, came out saying that this confirms their convictions; those who have always maintained that Abbas is a terrorist wolf in sheep’s clothing are still demanding to know what he’s saying in Arabic to his people and remain unconvinced that he meant what he said that night. In other words, this meeting was a trumped up media event that is insignificant and irrelevant.

    formally
    formally
    13 years ago

    one can meet him if they want in public but should have taken the opportunity to hammer him. I am sure with a little effort one can find, not so distance past speeches in Arabic that he sang a different tune. Or ask him to proof the us that he says the same when he speaks in Arabic functions?

    Furthermore, saying he will reduce the hate in the media is BS. Prove it show it, let see some evidence. change is possible, and has been proven throughout history that people can completely change. However they must prove it in actions.

    He also has chuzpha why should we take to him before he shows that he has changed when he say I won’t talk to Israel until I see more. The people who held this meeting should have used that same reason not to talk to him now.

    He is not gaza or hamas they are enemies for many different reasons one cannot blame the actions on Hamas on him

    on the other hand he is the best shot for peace, and if the secular Israelis who actually have the most to lose, (remember they are the ones who put their life on the line not the heridi) want to speak to him, the frum should shut up unless you go and join the army

    elmwood
    elmwood
    13 years ago

    What is an american jew? the one that fills gulty being born jewish and love arabs and not them selfs

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Abbas has repeatedly said that he would stop incitment, but it continues. He just talks a “good game.” Not only has he continued incitement, he recently named two public squares on the West Bank after terrorists who murdered men, women and children in Israel. Furthermore, he gave a speech at one of the dedications praising one of the terrorists as being a hero. He has no intention of stopping the incitement, just as he has not done in the past.
    Is peace possible under these circumstances? Think about it. An entire generation of children is being brought up to believe that Israelis and Jews are sub-human. Can these people possibly want peace with Israel?. You might as well have hoped that the Nazis could make peace with Jews. The Palestinian incitement is identical to the anti-Semitic propaganda of the Nazis. These people are Hitler’s heirs.
    Until the incitement stops, there can be no hope for peace. What the Palestinian areas need is a “denazification” program such as that which was imposed by the
    Allies on Germany after WWII. This program basically taught Germans that all the dribble they heard from anti-Semites and Nazis was utterly false. This is what the palestinians needs.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    “I think it’s a mistake to ignore these institutions and communities by saying that they are against us, and that we should not talk to them,” Abbas told The Associated Press. “No, we should sit with them, and we should try to convince them by talking to them.”

    He sounds just like Obama! I want to know how this got translated by Al-Jezeera – something like, “We must kill the infidels!!”?

    kulanu chachamim
    kulanu chachamim
    13 years ago

    you can’t trust this guy as far as you could throw him. why does he need American Jews, he’s already got Israeli ones who cave in on practically everything they want. this is like Al Capone meeting with the cops to convince them he’s really a law abiding citizen

    mihuze
    mihuze
    13 years ago

    do we callthem misyavnim or meshimodim? mamzerim would be a better description