| Presidential Nominee Barack Obama took only | | | | they Palestinian or Arab, possess the right |
| 14 words to effectively put paid to the idea | | | | to do that. |
| that a third Palestinian State - in addition | | | | |
| to Israel and Jordan - will be created during | | | | Any attempt therefore by any Arab leader to |
| his term as President if he wins the | | | | abandon negotiate away or compromise on this |
| forthcoming election in November. | | | | issue would bring swift retribution from |
| | | | Hamas. |
| Addressing the American Israel Public Affairs | | | | |
| Committee (AIPAC) in Washington this week Mr | | | | Article 1 of the PLO Charter - whilst not as |
| Obama declared : | | | | strident or inflammatory in its language - |
| | | | makes it clear that Palestine is an Arab |
| "… any agreement with the | | | | homeland - not Jewish . |
| Palestinian people must preserve Israel's | | | | |
| identity as a Jewish state", | | | | "Palestine is the homeland of the Arab |
| | | | Palestinian people; it is an indivisible part |
| Mr Obama had previously made this viewpoint | | | | of the Arab homeland, and the Palestinian |
| very clear when answering a question put to | | | | people are an integral part of the Arab |
| him at a meeting of 100 members of the | | | | nation." |
| Cleveland Jewish Community on 24 February | | | | |
| 2008: | | | | No amount of soothing words or diplomatic |
| | | | nuances can bridge the gap that these written |
| Â "Israel has to remain a Jewish state | | | | words have created for the negotiations that |
| and what I believe that means is that any | | | | have been ongoing between Israel and the |
| negotiated peace between the Israelis and the | | | | Palestinian Authority with very little |
| Palestinians is going to have to involve the | | | | success for the last 15 years. |
| Palestinians relinquishing the right of | | | | |
| return as it has been understood in the past. | | | | When push comes to shove this claim to Arab |
| And that doesn't mean that there may not be | | | | ownership of Palestine to the exclusion of |
| conversations about compensation issues " | | | | the Jews will bring any negotiations crashing |
| | | | down to an ignominious end, since American |
| Mr Obama - like President Bush - has now | | | | support for the Arab position is absolutely |
| given his unequivocal support to Israel's | | | | essential if any kind of pressure is to be |
| rejection of the 40 years old demand by the | | | | put on Israel to moderate its opposition to |
| Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) - | | | | the demanded right of return. |
| endorsed by the 22 member States of the Arab | | | | |
| League - that millions of former Arab | | | | Israel has long offered to resolve the |
| residents or their descendants be allowed to | | | | problem by entering into negotiations for the |
| emigrate to Israel. | | | | payment of compensation. Such negotiations |
| | | | however would also need to address |
| Arabs already comprise 20% of Israel's | | | | compensation claims by Jews expelled from |
| existing population. They all are Israeli | | | | Arab countries since Israel's creation sixty |
| citizens enjoying the same rights privileges | | | | years ago. It would take a very brave Arab |
| and opportunities open to the Jewish majority | | | | leader to agree to such negotiations. His |
| other than being required to serve in the | | | | shelf life would be very short and his use by |
| armed forces. Israel is understandably | | | | date would soon expire. |
| reluctant to allow the Arab sector of its | | | | |
| population to expand other than by natural | | | | An Israeli proposal in 2000 to allow up to |
| growth. | | | | 100000 Arabs to return to Israel was firmly |
| | | | rejected by the Arabs. It is unlikely to be |
| No political party in Israel espousing a | | | | offered again given the radicalisation of the |
| contrary view would have any hope of gaining | | | | Palestinian Arabs since then.. |
| Government. Agreeing to such a proposal would | | | | |
| in a very short time destroy the Jewish | | | | This issue has been one of the major |
| identity of Israel and its Jewish majority | | | | stumbling blocks to President Bush's Roadmap |
| presently living there and replace it with an | | | | failing to even make it to first base despite |
| Arab identity and an Arab majority | | | | the backing of the European Union, Russia and |
| | | | the United Nations. |
| The reason for this long standing Arab demand | | | | |
| being maintained is writ large in the | | | | Now - almost at the same time as Mr Obama's |
| Charters of both Hamas and the PLO. It is | | | | speech to AIPAC - the head of the Palestinian |
| considered as the political means by which | | | | Authority's negotiating team - Ahmed Qurei - |
| Arab sovereignty can be established for the | | | | has told PLO activists at a meeting in |
| first time in history in the totality of | | | | Ramallah that an agreement between Israel and |
| Palestine - where at present Arab sovereignty | | | | the Palestinian Authority before the new |
| exists in 77% - today called Jordan.. | | | | American President takes office next January |
| | | | would require a "miracle" |
| For Hamas - the Islamic Resistance Movement - | | | | |
| that right of return is non- negotiable and | | | | No doubt conferences, negotiations, press |
| inviolate and will be pursued until the | | | | releases and Presidential statements will |
| complete destruction of Israel's identity as | | | | continue to flow until a new American |
| a Jewish state is achieved . | | | | President is in control and will continue |
| | | | throughout the next Presidential term of |
| Article 11 of the Hamas Charter makes that | | | | office but nothing tangible can possibly |
| very clear when stating : | | | | emerge until the Arabs drop their demand for |
| | | | the right of return. |
| Â "The Islamic Resistance Movement | | | | |
| believes that the land of Palestine is an | | | | For that to happen would also require a |
| Islamic Waqf [an inalienable religious | | | | miracle. |
| endowment - author ] consecrated for future | | | | |
| Moslem generations until Judgement Day. It, | | | | The region is replete with miracles that form |
| or any part of it, should not be squandered: | | | | integral parts of the Jewish, Islamic and |
| it, or any part of it, should not be given | | | | Christian faiths. |
| up. Neither a single Arab country nor all | | | | |
| Arab countries, neither any king or | | | | However any hopes that either or both of |
| president, nor all the kings and presidents, | | | | these current two miracles-in-waiting will |
| neither any organization nor all of them, be | | | | eventuate is sheer folly. |