Netanyahu: Will push for Israel-Palestinian peace
Israel’s upcoming Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu said Wednesday he will seek a peace agreement with the Palestinians. The comments were clearly aimed at critics who fear the new center-right government will hinder the peace process and take a hardline approach to the Israel-Palestinians problem.
He said he will negotiate with the Palestinian leadership and work with them to improve their economy. His government will be a “partner for peace,” Netanyahu said.
As I wrote shortly after Netanyahu won the elections, his victory is a great opportunity for both sides to reach a peace agreement, both peoples will accept. Labor and Kadima may have been willing to give up too much land in exchange for peace, at least according to influential groups in Israel. Israeli hawks know, however, that Likud will not agree to any deal that would severely weaken Israel.
At the same time, Hamas is firmly in control of Gaza, and many believe Israel and the United States will have to do business with these extremists. Fatah has lost a lot of support on the street of both Gaza and the West Bank. PLO leaders are highly corrupt, and Palestinians know it. It has, in short, no authority and little legimacy left. Hamas, on the other hand, is the only possible alternative to the PLO and is less corrupt. Palestinians trust this organization – sad as it may be – more than Fatah. In other words, if Hamas agrees to a deal, it may be more accepted by the Palestinian people than if only Fatah agrees to it.
Having said that, there are also tremendous risks. Netanyahu could prove to be too hawkish and too aggressive resulting in more settlements and possibly more direct clashes between the IDF and Palestinian organizations and militias.
And Hamas could continue to behave as it has done for decades now; as nothing but a terrorist organization, unwilling to reach any kind of peace deal unless it contains the complete destruction of Israel.
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