This should come as no surprise to anyone who understands the root causes of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, beyond the cant and willful ignorance of the foreign policy “experts.” I explain why it was inevitable that Abbas would reject this offer, and why any similar offers would also be rejected, in my forthcoming book The Palestinian Delusion: The Catastrophic History of the Middle East Peace Process, which you can preorder here.
“Olmert offered Abbas more than 100% of West Bank, says PA leader,” by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik, Palestinian Media Watch, April 16, 2019:
…PLO chief negotiator Saeb Erekat who was present at the negotiations between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Abbas in 2008, recently told PA TV how generous Olmert’s offer was on all final status issues. In fact, Olmert literally accepted all of the PA’s publicly expressed demands, and even offered Abbas more than the full area of the West Bank and Gaza, and yet Abbas still rejected the offer.
Erekat explained that the area of the West Bank and Gaza Strip before they came under Israeli control in 1967was [sic] 6,235 sq. km. Olmert offered Abbas even more land than that, a total of 6,260 sq. km. At the negotiations, Erekat encouraged Abbas to accept the offer, saying that he could tell Palestinians: “I got more than the 1967 territories.” And still Abbas rejected the offer.
Regarding Israel’s capital Jerusalem, Olmert was likewise very generous. According to Erekat, Olmert offered: “What’s Arab is Arab, and what’s Jewish is Jewish.” This would have kept the Temple Mount – Judaism’s holiest site – under Palestinian rule with far-reaching implications for Jews and Judaism. The PA has said many times they would never allow Jews access to the Temple Mount since they consider Jews’ presence on any area of the Temple Mount a desecration of the nearby Al-Aqsa Mosque. Yet Olmert still offered to give this to the Palestinians for peace – and even this wasn’t enough for Abbas.
On the topic of refugees, Olmert was also forthcoming. He offered to have 150,000 refugees absorbed into the state of Israel over a period of 10 years. And still Abbas rejected it….
The following is an excerpt of the interview with Saeb Erekat:
PLO Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat: “I heard [former Israeli Prime Minister] Olmert say that he offered [Abbas] 100% of the West Bank territory. This is true. I’ll testify to this. He [Olmert] presented a map [to Abbas], and said: “I want [Israel] to take 6.5% of the West Bank and I’ll give [the PA] 6.5% of the 1948 territory (i.e., land in Israel) in return.” [Olmert] said to Abbas: “The area of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip on the eve of June 4, 1967, was 6,235 sq. km. Erekat says (i.e., I, Erekat, said to Abbas): ‘There are 50 sq. km. of no man’s land in Jerusalem and Latrun.’ We’ll split them between us, so the territory will be 6,260 sq. km.” [I said to Abbas:] Olmert wants to give you 20 sq. km. more, so that you could say [to Palestinians]: “I got more than the 1967 territories.” Regarding Jerusalem, [Olmert said:] “What’s Arab is Arab, and what’s Jewish is Jewish, and we’ll keep it an open city.” Regarding the refugees, [Olmert] offered him [Abbas] 150,000 refugees… [Olmert] said: “The refugees’ right to return to the State of Palestine is your law. But regarding Israel, we will accept 150,000 refugees over 10 years. 15,000 [per year] over 10 years.”[Official PA TV, Philosophy of Endurance, Dec. 1, 2018]
Frank Anderson says
I suggest that no amount of territory is enough for peace to exist next to a prosperous, powerful Jewish state. Any settlement agreement is just as fraudulent and delusional as that between Hitler and Stalin in August, 1939, which Hitler “set aside” in June, 1941 by the invasion of 3,000,000 men. “A snake will always be a snake, true to its nature.” Thank God Hitler did not know how to conduct a war. The “Palestinians” want the whole territory and nothing less.
Rarely says
I sadly agree. The total destruction of Israel is the Palestinians’ sole aim. It’s a shame that the improvement of the lives of their people doesn’t factor into this. I suspect that ANY settlement with Israel would be accompanied by a death warrant for the leader who agreed to it.. e.g. Anwar Sadat.
Frank Anderson says
Rarely, I have learned personally and the very hard way that liars lie. When the “final, perfect, complete, unchangeable” teachings call for the extermination of Jews, and lies whenever useful in obtaining that goal, anyone who believes those lies is an ignorant, suicidal fool.
Frank Anderson says
How can one person, male or female, make an agreement that is totally contrary to everything taught and required by the “final, perfect, complete and unchangeable” statement of the “word of god”? Egypt has for many years done what appears to be its best to keep a peace with Israel, after learning what true humanity and generosity looks like. Israel could have exterminated the entire Egyptian army and instead disarmed them, gave them food and water and returned them to Egypt. Jordan likewise seems to be trying to be a peaceful neighbor. But with millions of people “right next door” and actually among Israelis, all dedicated to the end of all Jews, why expect anything but war? Peace is not going to happen and there is no way to talk it into happening. “Cooperate with the inevitable.” Dale Carnegie. Effective Speaking and Human Relations.
janwog says
Fortunately, Abbas said no. I won’t have any lasting on the side of Islam, unless Ha Mashiach comes and annihilate this cult.
Dilbert says
Its not about getting a homeland or Peace, its about killing off all of the Jewish people and stealing everything they own as Mohammed did.
gravenimage says
PLO negotiator: In 2008, Israel offered “Palestinians” state larger than West Bank and Gaza, Abbas said no
……………..
No surprise there. I knew after Oslo that the “Palestinians” were not actually interested in a “Two-State Solution”.
Butch says
Good that Abbas said no, but Olmert’s offer was really, really stupid and catastrophic for Israel, particularly the letting in of the sworn enemy of 150,000 part. Where the heck were Olmert’s advisors and what were they thinking?