Jerusalem Syndrome
It’s been decades since Abba Eban, the late Israeli diplomat and politician, made the observation that “Arabs never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity.”
The latest mistake by the Palestinians proves Eban right again.
Against all reason, Palestinian leaders are hardening their response to President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
President Mahmoud Abbas, elected to a four-year term nearly 13 years ago, initially grumbled and seethed but didn’t close any doors.
But emboldened by the toothless grandstanding of the United Nations General Assembly and fearful of Hamas terrorists, Abbas now says he will not accept any American plan for peace or consider America as a broker.
Instead, he’s turning to Russian President Vladimir Putin for help.
This is foolishness on stilts, with Trump eager to make a deal. For Abbas to refuse to hear him out is a replay of the Palestinian rejectionism Yasir Arafat specialized in — talk peace while encouraging violence and hope Israel somehow goes away.
But whatever you do, never, ever make a final deal to recognize Israel’s right to exist.
On a recent trip to Israel, we heard a Foreign Ministry official sum up the truth about why Palestinians always walk away from negotiations and turn to violence. “It’s not about the 1967 borders,” the official said, “it’s about 1948.”
Everything else is detail.
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