Does Fayyad want a state?

Despite his declarations, Palestinian PM doesn’t want real independence


Avi Trengo
Israel Opinion/Ynet
26 April '10

Part II of article

(Click here for Part I, The Salam Fayyad show)

Had Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad possessed real plans for independence, he would already be starting to prepare an infrastructure for independent Palestinian currency. A state that wants to develop a private sector and the ability to reward exports cannot do it by a clinging to the shekel – the currency of a modern and highly developed economy like Israel’s.

As an economist who worked for the International Monetary Fund, Fayyad knows well that the ability to carry out currency depreciation is the most important capacity demanded by the IMF from any independent state, yet this is apparently unfit for “Palestine.”

This is clear proof that he does not intend to promote real independence. He wants to continue relying on us and remain in an undefined state of half-occupation and half “independence” until demography plays its part. What Hamas is trying to do militarily, and what Arafat attempted to do diplomatically, Fayyad seeks to do economically.

The Paris Accord, which is the economic cornerstone that serves as the basis of the Palestinian Authority’s very existence, allows each side to request new discussion on the deal’s details. The agreement was signed 16 years ago, yet despite all the political and economic changes that took place since then, Israel continues to adhere to it while making voluntary additions, hoping that these “bribes” will mitigate international pressures.

How should Israel respond?
However, Israel must make three demands of the PA that will expose the latter’s lack of economic independence and its dependence on Israel:

(Read full article)

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