The Foolish Belief That Palestinian State Will End Terrorism

Those who seek an end to the Israel-Palestine conflict through a two-state solution foolishly believe that decades of terrorist violence, now firmly installed in Palestinian culture, will stop. 

The creation of a Palestinian state will do nothing of the sort. 

That is because the stated and long-held goal of the Palestinian Authority is not peaceful coexistence but rather the erasure of Israel and the expansion of Palestinian territory across the region.

Mahmoud al-Zahar, a senior Hamas official, said in an interview with Hamas Al-Aqsa TV in early March of this year that "removing the Jews from the land they occupied in 1948 is an immutable principle because it appears in the Book of Allah. 

For those who believe that returning to the borders of 1967 could be an acceptable solution, al-Zahar responds to them as well. 

In the Quran, he preaches, Allah commands that Muslims must, "drive them out from wherever they have driven you out," and he leaves little doubt as to where that may be when he adds for clarity, Never use the term 1967 (borders)." 

This mindset does not allow for negotiation.

Zahar, who served as a foreign minister in Hamas in the past, ended by saying, Our position is: Palestine in its entirety, and not a grain of soil less. Allah did not define the 1967 borders or the 1948 borders. We will fight them wherever we can  on the ground, underground, and if we have airplanes, we will fight them from the skies." 

This philosophy, which has been hammered into the Palestinian culture, is one of absolutes in which the only acceptable solution is the complete destruction of Israel.

On March 13th, this year, several hundred Palestinians protested against the Palestinian Authority and called for the ouster of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.  

His crime? Security co-operation with Israel so that terrorists would not escalate the conflict with Israel.

The masses look to terrorists as their heroes rather than the Palestinian Authority.

Indeed, the entire basis of the Palestinian system is being questioned on a broad popular level, as evidenced by the chants of "the people want the downfall of Oslo." 

It was the Oslo Accords (1993 and 1995) that established the current status quo with the Palestinian Authority and the fragile peace that has been achieved. Even such a partial solution now seems untenable.

What hope is there to end terrorism when any attempts, even by the corrupt Abbas regime, to cooperate with Israel leads to protests? 

Supporting the PA over Israel will not bring stability to the region or further US interests and it certainly won't end terrorism. 

Viewing Abbas as a legitimate leader after his term ended over 8 years ago is simply empowering a dictator. 

It is a mistake to embrace the Palestinian Authority because it will never truly make peace with Israel. Limited cooperation which, even in small amount is criticized, is a tactic further to extend the resistance. 

The end goal is always and has always been the removal of Israel as a political entity. Just read a school textbook, listen to a speech by any local leader, turn on some music or glance at Palestinian social media. Such outspoken hatred is not hidden but open for the world to see. 

The Palestinian Authority has rejected the chance at statehood before and its history is one of personal enrichment and empowering terrorism. 

Lending credibility or power to such a state would not end terrorism. Far from it, to do so would embolden terrorists right on Israel's doorstep.