ccun.org, April 20, 2009

Editor's Note:

Recognizing Israel as a Jewish state means that only Jews have the right to be citizens. This means that Palestinians who are Christians and Muslims have no right to be in the state though they are the indigenous population who has been there for time immemorial.

Netenyahu is using this condition as a way to justify the Israeli refusal to recognize the right of the Palestinian people for a state on their homeland.

Whether the previous Israeli government of war criminals, Ehud Barak, Livni, and Olmert, or the current racist government of Netenyahu and Lieberman, the rule Israeli racists are following is dragging negotiations for ever until the Palestinians and the world get tired and accept slavery to the racist Israeli Zionists.

U.S. Envoy rejects demand that Hamas "recognize Jewish state"

Sunday April 19, 2009 10:48 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC&Agencies

On Sunday, the U.S envoy to the Middle East peace, George Mitchell, rejected Sunday the Israeli Prime Minister's that the Palestinian leadership recognize Israel as a Jewish state, as a prerequisite for resuming peace negotiations between the two sides. 

The recognition of Israel as a 'Jewish state' implies the acceptable of the disenfranchisement of the indigenous Palestinians, and nullifies the Palestinian refugees' right to return to their land -- a condition that most Palestinians will not accept.

"This prerequisite is not accepted by the administration, as Washington promotes a two-state solution", Mitchell was quoted as saying.

Over the weekend, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the American envoy during a meeting in Tel-Aviv that Israel wants to force the Palestinian leadership to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, and that the 'Iranian nuclear threats' must be tackled before Palestinian-Israeli peace talks are resumed.

Israeli defense minister, Ehud Barak, of the Labor party, opposed Netanyahu's call and voiced support for a comprehensive regional peace agreement.

In Gaza, the ruling Hamas party warned that complying with Netanyahu's request "would derogate the Palestinian people's inalienable rights to self-determination".  The Hamas spokesperson in Gaza, Fawzi Barhoum, was quoted as saying " any compliance with this call would legitimize Israel, therefore Arab and Islamic countries should instead cut off all forms of contact ,coordination or normalization with Israel."

The demand that the Palestinian leadership recognize Israel as a 'Jewish state' was first made by former Israeli foreign minister, Tsipi Livni, who participated in a Washington-hosted peace conference for Palestinian-Israeli peace in Annapolis near Washington in November 2007.

Former U.S president George W. Bush turned down the call at that time and reiterated his vision for a two-state solution, based on 1967 borders.

US: Palestinians need not recognize Israel as Jewish state for talks to resume

Date: 19 / 04 / 2009  Time:  14:05
Bethlehem – Ma’an/Agencies –

A demand that Palestinians recognize Israel “as the state of the Jewish people” as a condition for resuming peace negotiations is unacceptable to the US, the State Department said this weekend.

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz, quoting statements from the State Department, indicated that the US would not back Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s demand for this recognition.

The US released these statements during a visit by Special Envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell. Mitchell met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas after meeting Israeli leaders.

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) recognized “the right of the State of Israel to exist in peace and security.” In return, Israel did not recognize an independent Palestinian state but rather acknowledged the PLO as the legitimate representative of the Palestinians.

Palestinian negotiators have rejected this demand for recognition of Israel as a “Jewish state” because Israel conceives of its Jewish nature in terms of its Jewish majority. This, in turn, would preclude the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes in what is now Israel.

Some 750,000 Palestinians were expelled from Palestine during the 1948-49 war that saw the creation of Israel. Today more than 4.6 million UN-registered Palestinian refugees live throughout the Middle East and elsewhere.

The fate of the refugees is one of the “final status issues” that has still to be negotiated between Israel and the Palestinians.