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Last update - 05:50 07/08/2009
Editorial / Israel does have a Palestinian partner
By Haaretz Editorial

Fatah's sixth convention in Bethlehem has attracted considerable attention, due to internal battles among its factions and members of the movement's leadership. But these battles have focused on taking control of key positions within the movement and on constitutional issues. They skipped almost completely over Fatah's approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Fatah's new platform, and chairman Mahmoud Abbas' speech, won sweeping support from the more than 2,200 delegates who came from throughout the Palestinian Diaspora. From Bethlehem, they sent Jerusalem an unequivocal message: The Palestinian national movement's strategic choice is still two states for two peoples.

Although Fatah's first convention in 20 years was held in the shadow of the Israeli occupation and an impasse in the peace process, the movement committed itself to the diplomatic option and the principles of the Arab peace initiative. Fatah formally distinguished itself from Hamas and joined the Arab and international consensus on a political solution - namely, the establishment of a contiguous Palestinian state on the basis of the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and a just solution to the refugee problem by agreement with Israel, on the basis of UN Resolution 194.
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The convention rejected the demand to recognize Israel as the "state of the Jewish people," as well as the idea of establishing a Palestinian state with temporary borders. It is a pity that its call for stronger ties with the Israeli peace camp was stained by the ugly hint that Israel had murdered Yasser Arafat.

Both Fatah's platform and its chairman's speech made it clear that in the absence of real progress toward a two-state solution, the movement would switch to a struggle to establish a single binational state between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, or else unilaterally declare an independent state in the 1967 borders. Moreover, if negotiations fail to lead to an end to the occupation within the foreseeable future, Fatah reserves the right to fight for the Palestinian people's liberty in legitimate ways, including fighting the settlers and the forces that protect them and engaging in unarmed civil disobedience. Both points demonstrate the dangers Israel will face if the partition solution hits a deadlock again.

The Palestinian public's avid interest in the convention, and the delegates' impressive attendance, testify that despite the numerous crises Fatah has undergone, it is still the leading popular political movement in the West Bank. The Israeli public and Israeli decision makers would do well to study the Bethlehem meeting's resolutions seriously.

It is only natural for Israel not to accept Fatah's platform, just as the Palestinian leadership objects to Likud's platform. But Fatah's approach to the peace process refutes the right-wing argument that "there is no Palestinian peace partner."

The fate of the pragmatic national movement on the Palestinian side will depend largely on Israel's policy regarding the terms for resuming peace talks. This includes the issue of freezing the settlements, the gaps between the parties' positions on a final-status arrangement and the extent of the international community's resolve to bridge these gaps.

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      1.   Delusional leftists have never been wrong 02:56  |  A Nice Fellow 07/08/09
      2.   delusional righyists 03:42  |  Cesare 07/08/09
      3.   partners 03:48  |  Severino Melo 07/08/09
      4.   #2 "Peace" 03:56  |  A Nice Fellow 07/08/09
      5.   Finally Haaretz comes out in the open 04:20  |  Arie 07/08/09
      6.   Dont be scared 04:47  |  Imad 07/08/09
      7.   Arab peace or Arab annihilation of Israel 05:06  |  Larissa 07/08/09
      8.   Heed these words well Israel. 05:07  |  Ryan 07/08/09
      9.   I don`t get how the convention proved anything 05:19  |  McQueen 07/08/09
      10.   We have peace partner and only the dumbest 05:48  |  DT 07/08/09
      11.   "There is no peace partner"- True! 05:59  |  shtarka 07/08/09
      12.   Deeply Depressing! 06:12  |  Haaretz Fan 07/08/09
      13.   "Reliable" and "Effective"- missing words 06:22  |  shtarka 07/08/09
      14.   Fatah Ignores Both Reality & Peace. 06:27  |  Michael J 07/08/09
      15.   "israel does have a palestinian partner for peace" 06:52  |  jon 07/08/09
      16.   "Israel does have a Palestinian partner" 06:54  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 07/08/09
      17.   No peace partner? Just another lame excuse. 07:07  |  Natallie Durson 07/08/09
      18.   Peace partner? It works both ways. 07:09  |  Natallie Durson 07/08/09
      19.   What peace partner? 08:08  |  fredyr 07/08/09
      20.   And once it has a partner...... 09:09  |  MiddleStanian 07/08/09
      21.   Partner Would be of no Consequence 09:12  |  Walid 07/08/09
      22.   Fatah option is State Dept fiction and doesn`t exist in reality 09:13  |  G Marcus 07/08/09
      23.   to # 10 09:15  |  JJ 07/08/09
      24.   #3 and #5 09:16  |  lior 07/08/09
      25.   Fatah is a partner for none other than for national suicide 09:16  |  Jacob 07/08/09
      26.   # 9, Palestinian leadership 09:46  |  shtarka 07/08/09
      27.   To accept terror 10:15  |  EW 07/08/09
      28.   Bravo. Great article. Bravo for Palestinian`s right approach. 10:24  |  Ivar 07/08/09
      29.   what happen if 10:30  |  EW 07/08/09
      30.   !967 borders? Aba Even called them "Aushwitz borders", remember? 10:37  |  Golda 07/08/09
      31.   If we want a peace partner... 10:40  |  The Machsom Watcher 07/08/09
      32.   The only way to "Two States for Two Peoples" 10:47  |  Solow 07/08/09
      33.   Is Israel a reliable partner for peace? 11:00  |  Keith T. 07/08/09
      34.   #28 ivar quotes from the wrong books and makes us all laugh 11:55  |  v hardman 07/08/09
      35.   palestine does not (yet?) have an israeli partner 11:58  |  shinar tapuz 07/08/09
      36.   v hardman The Btritish mandate ended 1948 12:42  |  CJ 07/08/09
      37.   A Nice Fellow Gaza is still occupied. Expect violent resitance t 12:44  |  CJ 07/08/09
      38.   No recognition of Jewish Israel 12:47  |  Richard 07/08/09
      39.   Larissa - Israel was FORCED to withdraw from Egyptian territory i 12:50  |  CJ 07/08/09
      40.   #11 13:11  |  Harold 07/08/09
      41.   #38 13:15  |  Harold 07/08/09
      42.   Peace partners 13:25  |  Sushi 07/08/09
      43.   to # 16 and the like-minded 13:32  |  Gentile 07/08/09
      44.   Israel does have a Palestinian partner 13:43  |  flora 07/08/09
      45.   #36 the ignoramus cj/jb does not know the purpose of the mandates 14:17  |  v hardman 07/08/09
      46.   #37, CJ 14:23  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 07/08/09
      47.   v hardman...in your dreams ... 14:48  |  CJ 07/08/09
      48.   Cipora Julianna Kohn ... Did you have a point? 14:52  |  CJ 07/08/09
      49.   We don`t WANT a partner for peace 14:56  |  r cummings 07/08/09
      50.   They said no negotiations before all prisoners released 15:02  |  McQueen 07/08/09
      51.   JPost today-Fatah party sets 14 preconditions for talks 15:14  |  Sam 07/08/09
      52.   Fatah, Haaretz and Life in the Asylum (Israel) 15:34  |  james burke 07/08/09
      53.   To Natallie Durson 15:35  |  Haaretz Fan 07/08/09
      54.   This editorial is a joke right? 15:44  |  Moshe 07/08/09
      55.   Cipora Juilianna---a correction 15:49  |  Ibrahim 07/08/09
      56.   Richard they are willing to recognise "Israel" 16:11  |  Labhras 07/08/09
      57.   look v hardman, the League of Nations was colonialist dominated 16:25  |  newageblues 07/08/09
      58.   Harold, 57 nations call themselves muslim 16:25  |  Richard 07/08/09
      59.   Partners are for give and take ! 16:29  |  Akram Zekaria 07/08/09
      60.   Fatah convention confirms, there is NO peace partner for Israel 16:34  |  David 07/08/09
      61.   Israel does NOT have a palestinian peace partner 16:59  |  Walter 07/08/09
      62.   Switching hats 17:00  |  Gilad 07/08/09
      63.   Cipora Julianna Kohn Indeed, resistance can be legally fought 17:05  |  CJ 07/08/09
      64.   Richard on Muslim states 17:08  |  Ibrahim 07/08/09
      65.   Richard.. Israel can call itself whaever it likes. There`s no le 17:09  |  CJ 07/08/09
      66.   A practical solution to the Palestinian problem 17:12  |  Yonatan 07/08/09
      67.   Akram Zekaria Oh? So what Israeli territory have the Arabs ever 17:12  |  CJ 07/08/09
      68.   David -- er whose lies? How many Jewish refugees are there? 17:17  |  CJ 07/08/09
      69.   # 49 richard 17:20  |  Axel 07/08/09
      70.   CJ @53 IOpen your horizons read more,learn more.And then 18:35  |  Jasmine 07/08/09
      71.   Pal convention shows disunity and discord, so no partner 18:45  |  Jason 07/08/09
      72.   a artner, u said a partner ? 18:55  |  Grosz 07/08/09
      73.   UN 1947 resolution stated that a JEWISH state 19:03  |  Arthur 07/08/09
      74.   Yonatan is Right 19:32  |  Walid 07/08/09
      75.   You chose war and lost, you chose war again and lost 19:36  |  GZLives 07/08/09
      76.   Didn`t Pals also set conditions on negotiation ? 19:47  |  Petras Vilson 07/08/09
      77.   Harold #41 19:50  |  Gee 07/08/09
      78.   Michael J - What are you talking about??!! 20:07  |  Don Boston 07/08/09
      79.   It is what it is 20:43  |  Jane 07/08/09
      80.   Richard, how many Arab states call theirselves Islamic Republics? 20:50  |  Palestinian Prince 07/08/09
      81.   #50 Akram Zekaria, the Palestinians always take? 20:53  |  Palestinian Prince 07/08/09
      82.   Fatah a willing peace partner? Loony Lefties. 20:56  |  4:20 07/08/09
      83.   If you could hear the raw tragic hate in these posts you would 21:37  |  Jonathan David 07/08/09
      84.   Why does he ignore Fatah`s Words??? 21:38  |  marat 07/08/09
      85.   Maybe the Palestinians DON`T have a partner or peace 21:40  |  David 07/08/09
      86.   Fatah is becoming more radicalized. it is not a partner 21:43  |  ksss 07/08/09
      87.   Keith T: Is Israel a reliable partner for peace? 21:53  |  wibism 07/08/09
      88.   Jewish State 21:55  |  wibism 07/08/09
      89.   Land for peace or land for hollow promises? 22:11  |  RfaelMoshe 07/08/09
      90.   Don Boston #63 you are wrong 22:21  |  Gee 07/08/09
      91.   #33 Ketith T. 22:59  |  Louis Fried 07/08/09
      92.   What planet are Haaretz editorialists from? 23:11  |  Maya 07/08/09
      93.   Jews and Arabs thrive on adversity... 23:45  |  jerry 07/08/09
      94.   Labhras - that`s not enough 23:45  |  Richard 07/08/09
      95.   Israel and its Jewishness - Palestinian Prince (#80) 23:47  |  Oleg 07/08/09
      96.   Ibrahim, no one is tryin to destory those states 23:49  |  Richard 07/08/09
      97.   Israel a racist state??? Really, wibism? #88 - part 1 00:59  |  Oleg 08/08/09
      98.   Israel a racist state??? Really, wibism? #88 - part 2 01:03  |  Oleg 08/08/09
      99.   Israel Does Not Have A Peace Partner 01:11  |  Joseph 08/08/09
      100.   Maya, Fateh recognized Israel years ago... 02:23  |  BBSNews 08/08/09
      101.   Richard, No one is trying to destroy Israel... 02:29  |  BBSNews 08/08/09
      102.   Richard`s xenophobic comment to Labhras... 02:40  |  BBSNews 08/08/09
      103.   To #78 Don Boston- You are wrong. 04:22  |  Michael J 08/08/09
      104.   KUNTAR`S PEACE-LOVING FRIENDS 04:44  |  Steve of Mevaserret 08/08/09
      105.   #95 Oleg, all Arab countries have the name Arab? 06:47  |  Palestinian Prince 08/08/09
      106.   Terror PLO-PA convention illegitimate enterprise 06:58  |  Joseph .E 08/08/09
      107.   #105, Palestinian Prince 07:12  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 08/08/09
      108.   81~ Palestinian Prince:What does the pals.. ?"2nd reply" 08:21  |  Akram Zekaria 08/08/09
      109.   81 Palestinian 11:33  |  anti-zionist 08/08/09
      110.   Oleg from CALGARY! n. 1 you are a liar too. 11:49  |  j. from Calgary, 08/08/09
      111.   BBSNews - try to make sense 12:10  |  Richard 08/08/09
      112.   A "Palestinian partner"that officially endorses a conspiracy to 14:22  |  PETER SM 08/08/09
      113.   Maya There is no legal basis for the demand that Palestinians 14:59  |  CJ 08/08/09
      114.   81~ Palestinian Prince " What does the Palestinians ..(3rd try). 15:01  |  Akram Zekaria 08/08/09
      115.   Oleg so many holes in your argument it looks like a SIEV 15:11  |  CJ 08/08/09
      116.   Steve of Meveserret on Kuntar 15:15  |  Walid 08/08/09
      117.   Richard, thinking is certainly required. 15:38  |  Ibrahim 08/08/09
      118.   Partner in peace 16:03  |  JW 08/08/09
      119.   CJ #112 you might try learning about the subject 1st 16:49  |  Gee 08/08/09
      120.   Editorial 17:08  |  Baruch 08/08/09
      121.   whats the next leader going to say, arabs unfair to haaretz 17:17  |  v hardman 08/08/09
      122.   Maya: cj is partially right 17:33  |  Arie 08/08/09
      123.   THE MORAL DIFFERENCE (#116) 18:20  |  Steve of Mevaserret 08/08/09
      124.   Ibrahim - that`s right 18:30  |  Richard 08/08/09
      125.   Ibrahim 18:34  |  Danite 08/08/09
      126.   Sorry it took so long 18:52  |  Viewer 08/08/09
      127.   Steve of Mevaserret 20:10  |  Walid 08/08/09
      128.   Gee Er...who`d best be learning? 20:16  |  CJ 08/08/09
      129.   Gee Er...who`d best be learning? 22:18  |  CJ 08/08/09
      130.   #119 Gee , Gee --can we have the Resolution 22:21  |  Labhras 08/08/09
      131.   Danite - er the british occupation had to end for Israel to dec 22:29  |  CJ 08/08/09
      132.   PA is partner for peace and outstanding issues are solvable... 22:32  |  Smadar 08/08/09
      133.   #7 Larissa 22:40  |  Dik 08/08/09
      134.   #129 the paranoid Complete Jerk and more horse manure 00:01  |  vhardman 09/08/09
      135.   Bravo Ivar #28 00:32  |  arik 09/08/09
      136.   #105 Palestinian Prince - once again religion vs ethnicity 03:35  |  Oleg 09/08/09
      137.   #134 Oleg That`s what I`ve argued for years.... 04:53  |  Smadar 09/08/09
      138.   CJ BORDERS change all through history UNSCR242 05:32  |  PETER SM 09/08/09
      139.   this editorial proves once again,leftist`s are delusional 05:47  |  chaim schonbrun 09/08/09
      140.   to "A Nice Fellow" #4 07:03  |  zeev 09/08/09
      141.   PETER SM Res 242 was not between the non-state entity of Palesti 07:23  |  CJ 09/08/09
      142.   Oleg - Spot the difference...Conversion to 07:32  |  CJ 09/08/09
      143.   Jewish state is no racism 09:43  |  arik 09/08/09
      144.   Israel does have a peace partner 18:20  |  Robert Margolis 10/08/09
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