Interviews of Hanan Ashrawi on Peace Talks

Nadene Goldfoot                                                                     

                                  Yasser Arafat, PLO Leader and Hanan Ashrawi before 2004
                                                 
CNN aired this morning an  interview with  a representative of Israel's peace negotiations and then Hanan Ashrawi, 67 year old Palestinian spokeswoman, a  legislator and activist.  She is the daughter of one of the founders of the PLO, Daoud Mikhail.  Anytime she has ever been interviewed she manages to talk like a speeding train spouting out her pat list of grievances and opinions of Israelis.  

The Israeli’s concerns were of security.  Hanan was asked about the Palestinian concerns and she mentioned “Jerusalem.”  She said, “Jerusalem.”  She didn’t say East Jerusalem.  Then she went on with her diatribe against Israel, which I finally had to turn off.  It was so full of lies and false accusations that I just couldn’t listen anymore.  I feel for our peace negotiators.

A July 26th interview done by Christine Amanpour with Hanan heard her say, “and we are waiting now for the invitation from Secretary Kerry on the basis of what he is going to receive in terms of Israeli commitments.”

Christine answered that statement with, “That sounds suspiciously like laying down conditions and I think everybody pretty much understands that conditions and preconditions are a non-starter.”  Hanan denied saying this.

One of the other comments made by Hanan was, “Well, first of all, when we talk about the Europeans, settlement activities are illegal.  Annexing and stealing land which is not your own is illegal.  The Europeans have been telling the Israelis to stop doing this repeatedly for years.  This is illegal.  This is counter productive.  This destroys the chances of peace.  And Israel has refused".

What she said was a lot of bashing of Israel and then she talked about the right of return of 4 million Palestinians.

What I'd like to do is give her a lesson in Israeli history, something she has so mixed up.

Resource:  CNN TV aired newscast interview of Hanan Ashrarwi 8/4/13
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanan_Ashrawi
Hanan,
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1307/26/ampr.01.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasser_Arafat
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/ashrawi.html

How Are Egypt and Israel Getting Along During This Rioting?

Nadene Goldfoot
At least Mubarak was continuing the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel, something Sadat previously had established.  Israelis were even tourists happy to see Egypt for the first time.  I missed the chance of doing so in 1981 and opted to study for my year end exam in Hebrew instead during my Spring break.  Today, I wouldn't do it out of fear for my life.

So what's going on now that Morsi, a Muslim Brotherhood Makha, is at the helm?  I found out that as far back as 2007 when Condoleeza Rice was Secretary of State, the USA had the US Army Corps of Engineers in Egypt making plans to improve the security on the border.  The USA has a $23 million dollar project which has seismic sensors there to alert others about invaders through tunnels, etc.  They have another $50 million dollar project to promote development in the region as they feel it takes more than alarms to secure the region.  So America has invested money into Egypt to keep the peace through both Bush and Obama.

Now, just since August 11, we have brought in 700 American soldiers in the region.  16 Egyptian soldiers were killed by 35 masked gunmen in the Sinai. Then they "barreled" into Israel in a truck they stole and an armored vehicle.   Egypt has been getting $1.5 billion per year in arms and military assistance, but it didn't keep out the terrorists on the border.  Morsi must now realize that it's to both Israel and Egypt's good to keep out terrorism.  The question is whether or not Israel will make be forced to make concessions in modifying a 33 year old peace treaty to allow for a more "aggressive Egyptian military presence."  Israelis see Morsi as one who supports the international system of states.  There are people in Egypt who are tying to challenge this.  Since Morsi is a head Muslim Brotherhood person, and this group is all for jihad, I see it is causing difficulties for him to make a decision as to which path to take.

An APC or armoured personnel carrier 

Egypt needs to become sharper and more efficient concerning terrorism. Morsi traveled to the Sinai with his defense minister, intelligence chief and interior minister.  They blame militants in Sinai who were aided by Palestinians in Gaza.  Here again, is the wrench in the works.  The Muslim Brotherhood said in a statement on the Web that Israel had sought to "thwart Egypt's revolution and could be responsible for the attack and that the attack highlighted the need to reconsider the peace treaty with Israel which restricts the number of troops Egypt can station in Sinai.

Israel shut down Kerem Shalom, the one commercial crossing into Gaza.  Egypt closed Rafah where goods and people pass through.  Hamas blocked the tunnels which everything goes through that are smuggled out of Egypt.  The Gazans wound up in long lines to load up on gas and food out of fear of higher prices.

Since then we have had the explosion of anti-American riots where Egypt's American Embassy was the first to be hit.  The security forces did not stop the American flag from being taken down from the outer wall and replaced with a Muslim one.  Somebody there has a talent for scaling walls.  This rioting has spread to over 20 other Muslim countries with religious leaders egging the masses on.

There are foreign peacekeepers in the Sinai today made up from a Multinational Force and Observers base who were just attacked by armed Islamist militants out of the latest protests sweeping the Muslim world.  They threw hand grenades and fired rocket-propelled grenades and had entered the peacekeepers camp and of course raised a black Islamist flag.  5 officers were wounded; 2 Egyptian military officers, 2 Colombians and a British fire chief.  Americans were also there. and they were all part of the 1979 peace treaty between Egypt and Israel.  This happened on Friday at 4:30 Cairo time on September 14, 2012.  Militant had set tires on fire outside the base.  The wounded were evacuated to Israel.  American and fijian troops are now responsible for securing the camp.

What did the Egyptian military do about it?  They sent 4 armored personnel carriers there and sent reinforcements 2 hours later.  They have 12 Egyptian military APCs surrounding the base.  Base officers think local tribal elders were at the base convincing attackers to retreat before the Egyptian military arrived.

Resource:  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/12/world/middleeast/egypt-and-us-step-up-talks-on-security-assistance.html?pagewanted=all&_moc.semityn.www
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2012/0914/Peacekeepers-attacked-in-Egypt-s-Sinai-Peninsula-foreigners-injured

Continuing Attacks on Israel 2010

Below is a report compiled by David Wilder who is a leader of the Jewish community of Hebron, Israel. (Gini Detry, Isaiah 40)

Terror Summary Translated by David Wilder

One of the questions I frequently hear, is: What's the security situation? As Obama continues to pressure Israel into further concessions, in order to prepare 'direct talks' with our enemy, a.k.a. continued Israeli abandonment of Eretz Yisrael, a decrease in security and more dead Jews, it is important to know exactly: How quiet has it really been?

This is a summary of terror activity in Israel for the first six months of 2010, as prepared by Yeshanews (Hebrew) You judge for yourself.

6 people killed
2 critically wounded
9 moderately wounded
232 lightly wounded in terror attacks and fighting against terrorists
139 rockets fired
At the Gaza border fence 60 shooting attacks, bombs, missiles fired, and attempted infiltrations.
130 Arabs apprehended with knives. 22 admitted intentions to perpetrated a terror attack

Details:
Rocket/Missile attacks:
25 mortars and 48 Kassam missiles shot into Israel
1 killed (foreign worker)
2 people in shock
45 mortars and 19 Kassam missiles fell inside Gaza
2-3 rockets shot at the Gulf of Eilat
1 discovered 70 meters from the Almog beach

Terror at Gaza border fence:
2 soldiers killed
1 injured by sniper fire
1 injured in mine blast
The Israel Air force attacked 8 tunnels, 1 weapons factory, 4 terror bases, 4 munitions storage area, 3 terrorist groups shooting rockets, 12 terrorists killed and one critically injured.
3 terror infiltrations prevented
The marines killed 6 terrorists planning an attack from the sea
18 shooting attacks against soldiers
1 hand grenade thrown
8 Anti-tank missiles shot
12 shooting attacks against workers
1 attack against farmers
3 mines discovered
5 bombs exploded
1 'wagon bomb'

Knives and stabbing attacks:
103 Arabs arrested armed with knives
57 on their bodies
24 in vehicles
22 with other tools
1 killed by stabbing attack - Soldier Ihab Chatib, at the Tapuach junction.
1 lightly wounded in Netanya
1 terrorist killed
1 terror suspect shot and lightly wounded
A knife attack prevented - 2 terrorists killed

Bombs in Judea and Samaria:
38 bombs discovered
4 fake bombs discovered

Rock attacks and Arab violence:
218 injured by rock attacks and Arab violence
132 police and border police, 2 border police officers, lightly injured. 1 lightly-moderately wounded
12 soldiers and one officer wounded
56 civilians lightly wounded, including 3 children, one foreign tourist lightly wounded, 4 moderate and 3 treated for shock
2 civilians injured in auto accident due to rock attack, 1 wounded in accident due to rock barrier in street, 1 civilian by Arab violence in Southern Hebron Hills, 1 youth in Jerusalem, and a handicapped person by Arab violence during a car theft.

Auto attacks:
3 auto attacks-attempts to run people over, 4 people lightly injured

Terror shooting:
One policeman killed, 1 moderately wounded, 3 lightly wounded, 2 civilians and one guard lightly wounded

Killed and wounded in attacks and fights against terror:
3 soldiers killed, 1 killed by 'friendly fire' during terror operation, 1 policeman and one foreign worker killed

Cemetery desecrations:
3 times ancient Jewish cemetery in Hebron desecrated via arson attacks.
23 gravestones destroyed on Mt of Olives
2 other attacks near Nevatim and Shefaram

More Facts About Israel to be Aware Of

Nadene Goldfoot

By 1972 almost a million Arabs lived in the administered areas (not called occupied areas). 640,600 of there lived in Judaea and Samaria. This consisted of 5,900 sq km or 2,270 sq mi. 388,600 lived in the Gaza Strip consisting of 360 sq km or 140 sq mi. and North Sinai.

8,000 Arabs lived on the Golan Heights consisting of 1,250 sq km or 500 sq mi. There are the Druzes living here.

Most of this population are Moslems. The smaller Christian communities of Greek Orthodox and Latins are mainly in Ramallah, Bethlehem and Beit Jala.

Israel waited for a peace settlement which didn't come. Their objectives have been:

1. To maintain conditions of security for Israelis and Arabs alike.

2. To enable inhabitants to live normal lives without losing contact with Arabs in other countries.

3. To make possible rapid economic development.

4. To encourage co-existence and cooperation between the Arabs of the areas and Israelis, as an example for relations to come between the two peoples.

1. By 1972 things were tranquil and thriving. Local affairs were administered by the local population.

2. Open bridges on the Jordan allowed movement in either direction between the areas and the Arab States.

3. Arabs and Israelis up to 1967 had lived in mutual separation and estrangement but after 1967 were enjoying the beginnings of a peaceful and fruitful co-existence.

4. The hope was that this would make a contribution towards a transformation of Arab-Israel-relations from conflict into cooperation.

What Happened?

I daresay that other Arabs poked their goals into the territories and grabbed some political power over these people. Arafat died and Hamas took over Fatah. The whole leadership changed from bad to worse.

Israeli politics also changed. It was as if American Democrats gained power. The Left gained power and did not protect Southern Israel which was shelled for 8 years. Now the Right is back in. We await with baited breath to see how Netanyahu handles things, but I have a feeling he'll be great. Security is a big thing with him. Most Israelis voted for him for this very reason.

Unlike Muslim Nations

Arabs and Druzes take part in Israeli political life. They are in the government's legislature.

In the 7th Knesset there were 6 Arabs (one was Deputy Speaker and one was a Deputy Minister) and one Druze who was a Deputy Minister. That was by 1972. It's not a new thing. Remember, Israel only was born in 1948. It was only 24 years old. In just about every Arab nation, Jews are not allowed, even as tourists. Egypt allowed Jews by 1980 that I know of. Sadat had made a change in his attitudes. I believe it would be impossible for me to tour Saudi Arabia.

Advantages for Arabs in Israel

Israel has treated the Arabs well, though they probably wouldn't dare admit it. They have the advantages of Israel's modern medical services. They are served by 6 health centers. 79 village clinics and 75 mother and child station, besides facilities in the cities. Their death rate dropped from 20 per thousand in 1948 to 6.2 in 1971, among the lowest in the world. During this time, infantile death rates fell from 68 to 38 per thousand live births. By 1972 93% of births are in hospitals.

Now Arabs want to overwhelm Israel with their numbers demanding a return of millions and millions of Arabs who left in 1948 of their own choosing.

Resource: Facts About Israel: published by the division of information, ministry for foreign affairs, Jerusalem 1973.

Israel's Arab Minority

Population in 1948 126,000 in 1972 458,500

Illiteracy 95% ...................................5%

School Population 10,000 ...............117,000

University " 15 ....................................1,000

Teachers 286 .....................................5,000

Hospital Births 4% ................................93%

Health Services None ...........................85 clinics, 75 mother-child stations

Electricity Almost None .........................92%

Agriculture

machines 5 ............................................960

life expectation 52................................... 70

Resource; Facts About Israel from 1973 booklet published by division of information, ministry for foreign affairs, Jerusalem.