Brengt Abbas met uitspraken over vluchtelingen een debat op gang?

 

This gap between the leadership and the public is huge, but Abbas' statement may ignite a debate and start a process that will lead to the acceptance of reality. It may turn the right of return into a dream that will never be realized.

Ynet is iets positiever dan Jpost over de uitspraken van Abbas, en hoopt dat ze een echte discussie zullen aanzwengelen binnen de Palestijnse gemeenschap. Het waren echter niet alleen de vluchtelingen en Hamas die Abbas' uitspraken afwezen, maar zijn eigen woordvoerder haastte zich om uit te leggen dat Abbas die uitspraken helemaal niet gemeend had. Dat schiet dus niet erg op. Of het haar overtuiging is of niet (en de meningen zullen wel verdeeld zijn), het leiderschap van de PA durft de confrontatie met de bevolking niet aan, alleen al uit angst dat men weer massaal naar Hamas overloopt.

 

Wouter

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Abbas' bold statement

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4300911,00.html

Op-ed: Despite Abbas' courageous remarks, general public not ready to give up dream of 'Greater Palestine'

Roni Shaked

Published:  11.04.12, 20:35 / Israel Opinion

In the Palestinian ethos, the right of return – referring to the return of the 1948 refugees to their homes and villages – is considered a sacred right that must never be waived. It is one of the most important principles of Palestinian society and is among the stumbling blocks on the path to reconciliation and a peace agreement.

 

The Palestinian leadership has called for the return of more than half of the five million refugees in question - who currently reside in camps in the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon – to their former homes in Israel, in accordance with a UN resolution from 1948 which recognized their right to return to their homes or seek compensation.

 

The Palestinian Authority's leadership, particularly after Yasser Arafat's death, has gradually come to terms with the notion that the Palestinians will not be able to realize the right of return. Mahmoud Abbas courageously told Israel's Channel 2 News that that he did not want to return to his former hometown of Safed and that as far as he is concerned Palestine is the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem. In doing so he essentially waived the right of return.

 

But the general Palestinian public, including the refugees themselves of course, is not willing to give up this right. Waiving this right would mean giving up on the dream of a "Greater Palestine." The Palestinians see their homeland as the village, the home, the lemon and olive trees. A homeland confined to the Palestinian Authority's territories would not suffice. They want to return to their original homes and villages from 1948.

 

This gap between the leadership and the public is huge, but Abbas' statement may ignite a debate and start a process that will lead to the acceptance of reality. It may turn the right of return into a dream that will never be realized.

 

But the Palestinian public is not ready for this yet –especially not the refugees. Hamas rejected Abbas' remarks. According to Islam, the Gaza's rulers claim, the Palestinians are forbidden from ceding even one inch of the homeland – certainly not to the Jews.

 

Butting Heads

Hamas PM blasts Palestinian leader over TV remarks / News agencies Ismail Haniyeh says Abbas' remarks suggesting PA is willing to change longtime territorial demands are 'extremely dangerous' Full story