Aaron Lerner heeft dit keer gelijk met zijn cynische commentaar. Officiële PA media en verschillende Fatah leden hebben vorige week lovende woorden gesproken over Samir Kuntar, net als over de terrorist die vorige maand in Jeruzalem met een bulldozer inreed op onschuldige burgers. (Een soortgelijk incident vond gisteren weer plaats, met minstens 16 gewonden maar geen doden dit keer.) De veroordeling van alle geweld door Abbas klinkt dan ook nogal hol. Hij zou deze woorden eens in het Arabisch tegen zijn eigen volk moeten zeggen, en het 'beleid' van de door de PA gecontroleerde media aanpassen.
RP
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[Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA:
"Lebanon celebrates 'Victory.' Heads of state and the leadership of Hezbollah are welcoming the return of Samir Kuntar, a murderer who smashed the skull of a four-year-old girl, Einat, with his bare hands and the butt of his rifle and then shot her father in cold blood and never expressed regret.
...May murderers rejoice no more. May the spirit of defenders in a just war remain proud.
Lebanon will yet be ashamed; a shame, which will be necessary for it to exist properly:"
President Peres - Jerusalem, 16 July 2008
That was then.
But, as expected, today President Peres declined to express his disappointment that "moderate" Mahmoud Abbas (known also by his nom de guerre "Abu Mazen") praised the release last week of murderer Kuntar.
"Gilad must be released, as well as the Palestinian prisoners" says Mahmoud Abbas. In fact, as far as he is concerned, if the terrorist tractor driver had survived the attack today, "moderate" Abbas would insist he also be released.]
"Lebanon celebrates 'Victory.' Heads of state and the leadership of Hezbollah are welcoming the return of Samir Kuntar, a murderer who smashed the skull of a four-year-old girl, Einat, with his bare hands and the butt of his rifle and then shot her father in cold blood and never expressed regret.
...May murderers rejoice no more. May the spirit of defenders in a just war remain proud.
Lebanon will yet be ashamed; a shame, which will be necessary for it to exist properly:"
President Peres - Jerusalem, 16 July 2008
That was then.
But, as expected, today President Peres declined to express his disappointment that "moderate" Mahmoud Abbas (known also by his nom de guerre "Abu Mazen") praised the release last week of murderer Kuntar.
"Gilad must be released, as well as the Palestinian prisoners" says Mahmoud Abbas. In fact, as far as he is concerned, if the terrorist tractor driver had survived the attack today, "moderate" Abbas would insist he also be released.]
_____
PRESIDENT OF ISRAEL SPOKESPERSON'S OFFICE
Jerusalem, 22.7.08
PRESIDENT SHIMON PERES MEETS WITH PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY PRESIDENT ABU MAZEN
President Shimon Peres today (Tuesday), 22.7.08, at his Jerusalem Residence, hosted, for the first time, Palestinian Authority (PA) President Abu Mazen. The two men held a working meeting and discussed the promotion of the peace process, the issues open in the negotiations, the promotion of joint economic projects and the geopolitical situation in the region.
During the meeting, news was received of the terrorist attack in the center of Jerusalem. President Peres' Military Secretary, Brig.-Gen. Hasson Hasson briefed President Peres and PA President Abu Mazen on the attack. The latter said that it was a sad event and added that he condemns all terrorist activities.
After their meeting, the two leaders spoke to the media and strongly condemned the attack.
PA President Abu Mazen said: "I condemn the attack and, as always, adamantly oppose all terrorist activities. I wish to send, from here, to the injured, wishes for a speedy recovery."
President Peres said: "Israel will not accept terrorist attacks as part of its routine life. The security forces will take all the necessary steps to protect the safety of the citizens of Jerusalem."
_____
In their statements to the media at the beginning of their meeting, President Peres said:
"This is a meeting of yearning for peace and of hope. We worked together 15 years ago in order to promote the peace process, each one on behalf of his people, each one with his problems. Fifteen years ago, the relationship of the Palestinian Authority towards Israel was that of terrorism and today it is a one of understanding and dialogue. Israel was then split and divided in everything concerning the recognition of the Palestinian Authority and today, there is full consensus between right and left regarding the right of two states for two peoples. There is no doubt that even today there are many problems on the path to full peace, mainly the issue of boundaries, the issues of Jerusalem and the settlements, but there is no alternative to peace. In the 15 years that have passed, six governments have changed in Israel but the wish for peace has not changed, the wish for peace of the people of Israel has not been extinguished. Also our hearts in Israel are full of pain. If you ask me today which issue most saddens and oppresses the Israeli people, it is the fate of one soldier, of Gilad Shalit. Perhaps to the world this does seems neither logical nor proportional but it is definitely in proportion to the values we hold - respect for human life and the return home of our sons. As the President who represents the widest consensus in Israel, I have come to tell you from this platform that the State of Israel yearns for peace and is determined to achieve peace. We will all live here forever. Everyone who tries to move his fellow being harms history and makes a mistake."
PA President Abu Mazen said: "60 years of conflict is too much! The years during which we worked together for peace and the belief that you, Mr. Peres, are a man of true peace gives me hope that eventually we will succeed in achieving peace. There is a need to put an end to the conflict. At present we are conducting negotiations around all the complicated issues, including the final stages in the negotiations. I am not hiding the difficulties, the fact that we are concerned about the policy of the settlements and the entries into the Palestinian cities but, at the same time, we are aiming to overcome the obstacles and we are discussing around the negotiation table the issues of Jerusalem, the refugees, the water and the boundaries in a cooperative spirit, in a spirit of wanting to live alongside our neighbors forever.
We trust you, your belief in peace and your joint commitment to two states which will live together in security, in peace and in stability. I am in favor of quiet in Gaza and in the West Bank. We are against the firing of rockets, against the attacks and killing of innocent citizens. The killing of an innocent person is a crime which cannot be pardoned. Gilad must be released, as well as the Palestinian prisoners, so as to enable the two peoples to feel hope. President Bush promised that by the end of the year the negotiations would be concluded. I hope that this will be so. We are in a marathon against time in order to ensure this."
Spokesperson's Office
spokesperson@president.gov.il
Office of the President
--------------------------------------------
IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis
Website: www.imra.org.il
During the meeting, news was received of the terrorist attack in the center of Jerusalem. President Peres' Military Secretary, Brig.-Gen. Hasson Hasson briefed President Peres and PA President Abu Mazen on the attack. The latter said that it was a sad event and added that he condemns all terrorist activities.
After their meeting, the two leaders spoke to the media and strongly condemned the attack.
PA President Abu Mazen said: "I condemn the attack and, as always, adamantly oppose all terrorist activities. I wish to send, from here, to the injured, wishes for a speedy recovery."
President Peres said: "Israel will not accept terrorist attacks as part of its routine life. The security forces will take all the necessary steps to protect the safety of the citizens of Jerusalem."
_____
In their statements to the media at the beginning of their meeting, President Peres said:
"This is a meeting of yearning for peace and of hope. We worked together 15 years ago in order to promote the peace process, each one on behalf of his people, each one with his problems. Fifteen years ago, the relationship of the Palestinian Authority towards Israel was that of terrorism and today it is a one of understanding and dialogue. Israel was then split and divided in everything concerning the recognition of the Palestinian Authority and today, there is full consensus between right and left regarding the right of two states for two peoples. There is no doubt that even today there are many problems on the path to full peace, mainly the issue of boundaries, the issues of Jerusalem and the settlements, but there is no alternative to peace. In the 15 years that have passed, six governments have changed in Israel but the wish for peace has not changed, the wish for peace of the people of Israel has not been extinguished. Also our hearts in Israel are full of pain. If you ask me today which issue most saddens and oppresses the Israeli people, it is the fate of one soldier, of Gilad Shalit. Perhaps to the world this does seems neither logical nor proportional but it is definitely in proportion to the values we hold - respect for human life and the return home of our sons. As the President who represents the widest consensus in Israel, I have come to tell you from this platform that the State of Israel yearns for peace and is determined to achieve peace. We will all live here forever. Everyone who tries to move his fellow being harms history and makes a mistake."
PA President Abu Mazen said: "60 years of conflict is too much! The years during which we worked together for peace and the belief that you, Mr. Peres, are a man of true peace gives me hope that eventually we will succeed in achieving peace. There is a need to put an end to the conflict. At present we are conducting negotiations around all the complicated issues, including the final stages in the negotiations. I am not hiding the difficulties, the fact that we are concerned about the policy of the settlements and the entries into the Palestinian cities but, at the same time, we are aiming to overcome the obstacles and we are discussing around the negotiation table the issues of Jerusalem, the refugees, the water and the boundaries in a cooperative spirit, in a spirit of wanting to live alongside our neighbors forever.
We trust you, your belief in peace and your joint commitment to two states which will live together in security, in peace and in stability. I am in favor of quiet in Gaza and in the West Bank. We are against the firing of rockets, against the attacks and killing of innocent citizens. The killing of an innocent person is a crime which cannot be pardoned. Gilad must be released, as well as the Palestinian prisoners, so as to enable the two peoples to feel hope. President Bush promised that by the end of the year the negotiations would be concluded. I hope that this will be so. We are in a marathon against time in order to ensure this."
Spokesperson's Office
spokesperson@president.gov.il
Office of the President
--------------------------------------------
IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis
Website: www.imra.org.il
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