Dear Editor:
Page one of the Oct. 29, 2016 New York Times contained an interview with a West Bank woman who was prepared to be a suicide bomber. She was arrested before she could perform her act of revenge. After six years in prison, she claims to have been transformed into an advocate of peace. She might want peace; however, every act and word in Arabic of the Palestinian leaders is contrary to the meaning of peace.
Are the following examples of “peace” illustrative of what the Palestinian leaders call peace?
- The Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) was created in 1964 with its charter calling for the Liberation of Palestine. Israel was within her UN established borders.
The Charter clearly declared that the original dimensions of the former British Mandate were the borders of Palestine, and that the establishment of Israel was illegal and void. Charter clause 24 specifically stated that the PLO does not claim any sovereignty over the West Bank and Gaza. Jordan controlled the West Bank and Egypt controlled Gaza in 1964. There are several other clauses which call for the Liberation of Palestine. The PLO was to resort to conflict until Israel was eliminated.
The 1968 charter amended the 1964 charter after the 1967 war by eliminating clause 24 and re-stated most of the 1964 clauses. They changed the words struggle to liberate Palestine to “armed struggle” including commando action to liberate Palestine. The Oslo peace process obligated the Palestinian Leadership to eliminate from their 1968 charter the various onerous clauses calling for the destruction of Israel. Israel did meet her Oslo obligation by conveying control of large segments of the West Bank.
Arafat and the Palestinian leaders went through a series of steps of Chicanery which bamboozled President Clinton, Israeli leaders and the World into believing that they removed these drastic clauses to destroy Israel. Not one word of this 1968 charter has ever been changed. This 33 clause 1968 charter with its unchanged clauses to destroy Israel, remains the mantelet of the Palestinian leadership today.
- Hamas has a charter which also calls for the destruction of Israel. Clause 11 of this charter very clearly states that every grain of sand of Palestine is sacred Muslim territory. Fatah has a constitution which is another “peaceful” document. Each of these three documents speaks a great deal louder than empty words of “peace.”
- Constant Palestine leaders’ statements that a peace agreement with Israel is similar to Muḥammad’s peace with the Quraysh. Muḥammad violated this agreement as soon as he had garnered the ability to conquer them.
- Palestinian leaders frequently refer to defeating Israel in phases.
- Abbas and the Palestinian leaders refer to terrorist murderers of Israeli civilians as martyrs.
- Try to find a map of Palestine, which includes Israel, in Palestinian controlled areas.
- The Palestinian Authority continuously names schools, buildings, and streets for terrorist murderers of Israeli citizens.
There are many more examples too numerous to mention, which can only be interpreted as the opposite of peace intentions.
If the Palestinian leaders want to exhibit a real desire for peace with Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Fatah and Hamas must annul all three documents pursuant to the language in their 2 charters and constitution. Additionally, 3/4 of the Palestinians must vote in a carefully monitored election that they want to live side by side in peace with Israel.
Respectfully,
William K. Langfan
(This letter to the editor was written on 11/2/2016)