Posted on 02/24/2004 6:58:21 PM PST by Turbodog
Journalist Dmitry Radyshevsky, Executive-Director of the Michael Cherney Foundation, chaired the First Annual Jerusalem Summit last autumn, which was co-sponsored by Israel's Tourism Ministry and the National Unity Coalition for Israel, among others. Its stated goals were to convene "outstanding political and academic leaders to develop a joint strategy against the Totalitarianism of the East represented by radical Islam, as well as against Moral Relativism of the West."
Radyshevsky told the participants that he recently "had an in-depth conversation with a very influential Palestinian Arab. Since he no longer resides in the territories, he can afford the luxury to think and speak freely; yet since he is still linked to the PA in various ways, he should not be named." Radyshevsky then proceeded to quote him "without commentary:"
"Israel won the first intifada. The Palestinians were exhausted. Arafat was at his lowest point in Tunisia. At that time Israel could have imposed any solution, and the Palestinians would have accepted it. Instead, you [Israel] went to Oslo - without consulting with either Arabs in the territories [us] or Jordan... And the Arabs concluded that Arafat had won.
"[We] were prepared to accept the status quo - a de facto peace - but Israel imposed on [us] the Arafat Gang with the old Arab mentality - rejection of any peace with Israel. The first thing the PLO did upon return was to close down the opposition papers and fire every independent journalist.
"After Oslo, we thought we would have lightly armed police to keep public order. But when we saw these guys with submachine guns, we exclaimed: This is not police - this is fedayeen. They said right away: 'We came back to continue the struggle. It is more convenient to fight Israel from here than from Tunisia.'
"They installed a dozen armed structures, all of which were in the business of robbery, rape, and extortion. A relative of mine had a store next door to a headquarters. These officers would come in every day, take whatever they wanted, and tell him to put it on the organization's account. When the amount reached 15,000 shekels, they arrested him and accused him of being an Israeli spy. They kept him in the basement for three days and let him go only when he agreed to forget the debt. When he came home, he prayed to Allah to erase these 'headquarters.' A few months later, Israelis bombed the building. He called me: 'Allah heard my prayers!' Any Palestinian can tell you a dozen stories like that.
"Your Operation Defensive Shield made Palestinians more free by putting the PA security services out of business, which brought down the number of rapes, extortion, and torture... Israel keeps misleading us by sending wrong signals. You say Arafat is no longer a partner, but Sharon is about to meet with Abu Ala, and Omri Sharon meets with Rajoub. But here everybody knows them as Arafat's people. And so the Palestinians think that in fact Israel is plotting to make Arafat strong...You should either acknowledge you're working with him, or get rid of his gang once and forever. Be straight and consistent. Tell the truth.
"Jerusalem Arabs want to keep their permanent resident status; they see what is going on in the West Bank and what Arafat has done to them... Palestinians want to go back to the pre-1987 situation, when one could travel from Ramallah to Ramat Gan, to earn money and go back home, without Arafat or check points...
"You must disarm all Arafat's armed forces and leave a civilian administration only. If you don't do it now, Arafat will be followed by thousands of Arafats. Enter the territories, disarm all the 'security services', and stay there. If you let the people know you are here to stay, that you will not allow the jihadists to come back and grow here, people will believe in you and help you. Palestinians will not fight for Arafat. Intifada is not a popular revolt; it's a war conducted by several armed groups.
"The only other alternative you have is to go back and hide behind the 1967 borders, and then prepare for the worst: Hamas in the Old City and French Hill, and the total war for destruction. Then both Jews and Arabs will die.
"No one will say any of this in the open. First you must enter the territories and prove you're serious. And then I'll give you 500 influential Arabs who will support you."
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