In Defense of the Geneva Accord

[Classical_Liberal]

In Defense of the Geneva Accord


Thursday, December 4, 2003; Page A34

Charles Krauthammer's screed against the soon-to-be signed Geneva accord <"Geneva Sellout," op-ed, Nov. 28> contained a significant number of distortions, half-truths, omissions of fact and leaps of logic.



First, Yossi Beilin, the primary architect of the accord, is not in the Knesset primarily because of the political machinations of the former head of the Labor Party, Binyamin Ben-Eliezer. He very nearly was in one of the first 12 spaces on the Labor list in this year's elections as a major party leader. He is not discredited except in the eyes of those who, like Mr. Krauthammer, cannot accept the idea that peace requires compromise.

Second, the destruction of the Oslo process and the failure of Camp David was a joint endeavor. Continuation of settlements, assassinations, foot-dragging, delaying negotiations with the Palestinians to put pressure through Syria and many other incidents from 1993 to 2000 make clear that Palestinian bad faith and failure to live up to promises was matched by Israeli behavior.

In case Mr. Krauthammer has not looked at the Temple Mount lately -- say, in the past 1,300 years -- the temple is gone and a Muslim religious site functions there........

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33547-2003Dec3.html

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

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[foo_bar]

3. does krauthammer mean cabbage-beater?

if he were German by "heritage".

[Saudade]

5. Krauthammer

A krauthammer is a cabbage press, an implement for mashing cabbage. My grandfather (who hates Charles almost as much as I do) remembers using one in Germany as a boy. I'm not sure what food-stuff is obtained from mashing cabbage, maybe vodka.

[edzontar]

6. Krauthammer should be used AS a cabbage-press

At leats he would serve a useful function then.

In his present job, he is nothing more than a promoter of hate and Republicanism (which is a simile for hate).

[drdon326]

2. lol...THE GENEVA SCAM

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewForeignBureaus.asp?Page=%5CForeignBureaus%5Carchive%5C200312%5CFOR20031205d.html


"The transfer of the Jordan Rift Valley to the Palestinians leaves Israel with no ability to defend itself from threats from the east, should they emerge once again in the future," Amidror said in a written assessment. "Geneva provides Israel with two isolated, and hence worthless, early-warning stations there]."

"In essence, almost all of Israel's security requirements were exchanged for the idea of deploying a foreign military presence that will be supervised by an international committee created to oversee the agreement's implementation," he said. According to the agreement international monitors would include the U.S., United Nations, European Union and Arab states.

Prof. Shlomo Avineri, described as a moderate-left activist and a professor of history and political science at Hebrew University of Jerusalem wrote earlier this week in the Hebrew daily Yediot Aharonot that while the initiators of Geneva are entitled to their express their opinions, they didn't have a right to "brazenly lie to the public.""\expndtw0

Avineri charges among other things while initiators said the document contains Palestinian recognition of Israel as "the state of the Jewish people," it in fact does not.

"The 'Jewish people' is not mentioned in the document. What is does say is that 'the two sides recognize Palestine and Israel as the national homes of their nations.' Whoever wishes can certainly say that Israel as 'the state of all its citizens' is the national home of 'the Israeli nation,' which includes Jews and Arabs. It is no coincidence that the word 'Jew' doesn't appear in the document, he said.

The accord initiators also claim that the Palestinians have given up the "right of return" but Avineri said this is not the case.

"The document says United Nations Resolution 194 and other resolutions shall be the basis for the solution of the refugee problem. To be sure, resolution 194 doesn't speak of the 'right' of return - it only determines that the refugees shall return to their former places.

"As the Arabs see it, Resolution 194 is the basis of the international legitimacy of the right of return," he said.

[Classical_Liberal]

4. Get serious!

Israel is not at risk from any Arab force. Kraughthammer also said that "we dems only hate the President because he stole the election!" No credibility what so ever, and in no way a progressive.

[edzontar]

7. CNS--home of conservatives...

We already saw this one in your other threas, didn't we?