The truth about our 'partners'

Op-ed: As always, Palestinian negotiators more interested in PR victory than in independence


Moshe Elad
Israel Opinion/Ynet
06 September '10

About a decade ago, upon the al-Aqsa Intifada's outbreak, I participated in a CNN panel with Diana Buttu, a renowned Palestinian attorney belonging to the PLO's negotiations department. The high salary she was received for her appearances, her fluency, and the significance she attributed to Palestinian propaganda prompted me to tell her and other panelists: I admit that the Palestinians are propaganda masters, and you'll continue to be just that for many years to come…but you won't get a state.

The recently launched Geneva Initiative campaign, where Palestinian partners seek to become your friend, just like on Facebook, demonstrates it again; The Palestinians are interested in a public relations win against Israel more than they aspire for independence.

About a decade ago, they secured the services of Ed Abington, the former US consul general in Jerusalem; in exchange for more than $2 million, Arafat asked him to "wipe Israel out" on the public relations front. We all know the result: Arafat was shunned by the Bush Administration and ended his life with the image of a perpetual terrorist in Ramallah, while Hamas toppled the Palestinian Authority in Gaza and left it weaker and more pathetic than ever (yet with an excellent PR department.)

Now, upon the launch of the 2010 direct talks, it's the Geneva Initiative's turn to attempt to elicit a Palestinian "PR victory." Why a PR victory? Because marketing Abbas, Erekat, Rajoub and their comrades as men of peace is a tough mission.

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