Fact Checking PM Hamdallah

During an interview between the Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah and the Washington Post, Hamdallah made several statements regarding the Palestinian Leadership’s hope for negotiations that would include a deadline for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the West Bank and the establishment of a Palestinian state. Despite an internal Palestinian resolution slating this deadline as the year 2017 and stating in the interview that negotiations can be resumed once a UN resolution echoing this demand passes, Hamdallah insisted that this was not a precondition for renewed talks.

When asked about how he felt about the new Israeli government Hamdallah stated:

“We are willing to work with any government that is elected in Israel. We hope negotiations will be resumed, but within a new framework. We need a time limit for the Israeli withdrawal from our territories and date for the establishment of the [Palestinian] state – the leadership in Palestine has put the date as the end of 2017.”

It seems to me that setting a deadline is a precondition.

The interviewer seemed skeptical and questioned Hamdallah as to whether or not he thought it was a precondition for restarting talks.

“It’s not a precondition. We want a U.N. resolution that can guarantee an establishment of a Palestinian state.”

Setting time limits and deadlines sounds a lot like a precondition to me. Hamdallah then makes a statement about a UN resolution and the Palestinians attempts to force unilateral action through the use of international organizations.

“We need outside intervention from the U.N., from the superpowers, from the United States. Once there is a resolution, whether the U.N.is  asking for Israel to withdrawal and for the establishment of the state, this has to be guaranteed by the superpowers. Otherwise, it will just be on paper. We hope that the United States’ intervention can help us.

Recently, Palestine tried to throw out Israel from the world soccer governing body, FIFA. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently called for the Palestinians to end such measures and return to negotiations. According to the Jerusalem Post, Netanyahu said:

“The only way is direct talks. I believe that the solution is two states for two peoples. I am saddened that while we loosen restrictions, the Palestinians have been dealing with their move at FIFA and with attempts at delegitimization. We need to send a clear message to the Palestinians – stop this campaign and come back to negotiations without preconditions.”

Yet the Palestinians appear determined to involve third parties in their efforts to facilitate the creation of a Palestinian state.

When asked if the Palestinians have given up on direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. Hamdallah replied, “We are going through the U.N.”

Hamdallah, who opened the interview by stating that he is willing to work with any government elected in Israel, insisted that Israeli concerns regarding efficacy of the PA at controlling dangerous elements in the West Bank can be put to rest.

“Look at the West Bank now – we are keeping law and order to the maximum,” Hamdallah said.

Interesting for Hamdallah to state that law and order in the West Bank are kept to a maximum, when just a week and a half ago two Israeli police officers were wounded in a vehicular terror attack in East Jerusalem.

A couple of days after that attack, a Palestinian assailant in East Jerusalem stabbed two Jewish youths.

As you can see in this article, Hamdallah’s interview is filled with misinformation and hypocrisy.