Really. Look at the demands Abbas is making.
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas intends to demand that Israel immediately implement the American “benchmarks” proposal for increasing Palestinian freedom of movement in the territories.
In addition, he will ask Israel to release a massive number of Palestinian prisoners, first and foremost Marwan Barghouti, advisors to Abbas said Sunday.
The advisors said that these steps are necessary to strengthen Abbas’ Fatah movement in both the West Bank and Gaza.
The benchmarks proposal, prepared by U.S. security coordinator General Keith Dayton, demands a massive removal of Israeli checkpoints in the West Bank. According to the advisors, that would immediately improve life for every Palestinian.
Similarly, they said, a significant prisoner release would vastly increase Abbas’ popularity, while Barghouti in particular being the most popular Fatah politician could do much to bolster chairman’s standing. Barghouti is currently serving five life terms in prison for the murder of five Israeli civilians.
In addition, the advisors said, Israel must not interfere with efforts to recruit, train and arm Fatah’s security forces. “Israel’s operations completely destroyed these forces in the West Bank,” said one. “[Israel] must allow freedom of movement to members of the Palestinian security services and not impede their training.”
And finally, they said, Israel must resume diplomatic negotiations with Abbas, in order to give the Palestinians a diplomatic horizon, and must hand over all the tax revenues it has collected on the PA’s behalf, so that Abbas can pay the authority’s employees.
What, exactly, is Abbas going to give Israel for all these concessions? Will he turn over terrorists that Israel has long sought, like Zakaria Zubedei? Will he stop the suicide bombers coming from Nablus and Jenin? Will he disband the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, a Fatah terrorist arm? Will he shut down the weapons factories in the West Bank?
No. But here are more demands from Abbas:
The talks are aimed at reaching a series of understandings with Israel, including an Israeli commitment to stop hunting down wanted Palestinian suspects, mainly Fatah and al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades members, to refrain from sending IDF forces into West bank cities, as well as arresting activists, except for those defined as “ticking bombs.”
And here’s what Abbas says he’s willing to do:
The Palestinian security forces in Gaza on their part would commit to act against anyone involved in preparing suicide bombings, as well activists suspected of having ties with Hizbullah or Hamas’ military wing. Furthermore, Abbas’ forces would pledge to operate against Hamas’ special security force, which is expected to try and takeover the West bank as well.
According to PA sources, Jaber and the Israeli officials have already agreed in principle on the issues.
It’s apparently a done deal. They get to keep on manufacturing weapons and promise that they’ll stop suicide bombers. No, really, this time they mean it, and the fact that members of Fatah have been implicated in suicide bombings don’t matter at all, this time, really, honest, they’re going to be different.
As far as I can see, Abbas is asking Israel to strengthen Fatah, which will then use that strength to aid terrorists from Al-Aqsa and other organizations, against Israel. Fatah isn’t going to go back into Gaza. Hamas will not simply give up their aim of an Islamic state. The people of Gaza will not be asking for Hamas’ removal. They’re going to be a cowed and fearful populace, trying to survive.
So. If Olmert agrees to all of these “benchmarks”—will that finally get Israelis angry enough to dump him and call for new elections? Or are Israelis so stupid that they think the same thing, tried and failed over and over again, is going to have a different outcome this time?