Moshe Bogey Ya'alon: The False Palestinian Narrative (A Refutation)

 From Moshe Bogey Ya'alon's column in today's Israel Hayom

The False Palestinian Narrative

The Palestinians have succeeded in making us believe a series of false assumptions, and on the basis of these false assumptions, they have submitted a series of false claims. Our problem with them is not where the borders will be, but rather with their refusal to recognize that this is the Jewish national home.

Public discourse in Israel about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict over the past several months, particularly in light of the meeting of the U.N. General Assembly and the Palestinians’ intention to ask for recognition as a state has been full of erroneous perceptions that need to be eradicated. This is necessary not only because these perceptions mislead many Israelis and cause confusion, but also because that same confusion radiates outward, leading many international leaders in the West to adopt them.

The source of these perceptions is the false Palestinian narrative. Precisely because this is happening, it is important to state that there is nothing more just than the Jewish people’s right to return to live in their ancestral homeland. This is moral, historical, legal, political, security-related, national and religious justice.

On the other hand, the false perceptions have been presented very well in Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' various speeches over the years, and recently with even greater force. This is the place to refute them.

1. According to the first perception, the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians is territorial in essence, and its solution is well known and could be accomplished in a short time if both sides would only show a great deal more flexibility.

The truth is that even though the conflict has a strong territorial component, since two peoples see the same piece of land as their homeland, the heart of the conflict is existential, and centers on the Palestinians’ refusal to recognize the Jews’ right to build their national home, whatever its borders may be, in this land. This is why the Palestinians refuse to accept Israel as the national home of the Jewish people. The false perception is that of the two sides, Israel is the one who refuses to resume the talks about the arrangement, and therefore pressure must be applied to it so that it will change its policy.

Actually, the Palestinians are the ones who consistently oppose the resumption of talks and set preconditions for entering them. Israel has made every effort to resume the talks, even freezing construction in Judea and Samaria for 10 months in order to make it possible.

2. The second false perception is that Israel’s security demands are exaggerated, and in any case most of them can be solved by means of a third party.

Actually, the new reality in the region and our experience with previous concessions that we have made, when all the land that we handed over became an incubator for terrorism, show that Israel’s security demands are absolutely justified, and compromising on them or putting our security into the hands of a third party could be disastrous.

3. The Palestinians are suffering terribly from the cruel Israeli occupation. For example, Abbas said that the settlers train their dogs to attack Arabs and release wild boars into the area in order to harm Palestinians and their crops. This situation cannot continue.

Actually, Israel has no interest in ruling over the Palestinians, nor does it have any interest in maintaining the status quo, but it wants to make certain that the situation that replaces the current one will be no worse nor more dangerous. Meanwhile, as long as the conditions that would enable us to reach an arrangement do not exist, Israel is doing all it can to make things easier for the Palestinians. In light of the decrease in terror attacks and the improved functioning of the Palestinian security organizations, Israel has removed many checkpoints and works to enable the Palestinians to live normal lives and benefit from economic prosperity.

Continue reading The false Palestinian narrative

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