Kerry Attempts To Pressure Israel With Intifada Threat
Be strong and of good courage, fear not, nor be affrighted at them; for the LORD thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.’ (Deuteronomy 31:6)
US Secretary of State John Kerry warned Israel on Thursday that failing to reach a deal with the PA could result in a third intifada. (Photo: Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
In a rare joint interview with both Israeli and Palestinian television on Thursday, US Secretary of State John Kerry continued to beat the drums of fear for Israel warning that failure to reach a peace negotiation would result in a third intifada and international isolation, according to the Jerusalem Post.
“The alternative to getting back to the talks is the potential of chaos,” Kerry said. “Does Israel want a third intifada?”
Kerry’s word may have been nothing more but bluster however, following a poll released on Tuesday conducted by the Arab World For Research & Development showed that only 29% of Judea, Samaria and Gaza Palestinians said they would support a third intifada, though 60% believe one is possible.
Kerry was only scheduled to be in Israel until Wednesday but extended his trip an extra day after finding the peace talks in disrepair.
“I believe that if we do not resolve the issues between Palestinians and Israelis, if we do not find a way to find peace, there will be an increasing isolation of Israel, three will be an increasing campaign of the delegitimization of Israel that has been taking place on an international basis,” he said in the interview.
“If we do not resolve the question of settlements, and who lives where and what rights they have; if we don’t end the presence of Israeli soldiers perpetually in the West Bank, then there will be an increasing feeling that if you cannot get peace with a leadership that is committed to non-violence, we may wind up with a leadership that is committed to violence,” he added.
In a press conference alongside Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh in Amman on Thursday, Kerry reiterated this theme. “What is the alternative to peace?” he asked. ” Prolonged continued conflict. The absence of peace really means you have a sort of low-grade conflict, war.”
He said that “as long as the aspirations of people are held down one way or another” and as long as the conflict continued without a solution, the “possibilities of violence” increase.
No comments:
Post a Comment