Fatah's Immoderacy

Mainly a problem of omission, the New York Times fails to bring any attention to the challenges that Israel has in negotiating with the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority. Fatah, formerly led by Yasser Arafat who was largely responsible for the war of terror against Israeli civilians during the Second Intifada, continues to advocate extreme positions under the leadership of Mahmoud Abbas.

Fatah's problematic actions and policies include:

• Incitement against Jews and Israel in hate education
  
• A failure to dismantle the terrorist apparatus in its midst
• A failure to deny that a full-fledged "Right of Return" to Israel will be enacted (thereby continuing to support the belief that Israeli will one day disappear)
• A failure to recognize Israel as Jewish State
• Lack of commitment to a peaceful settlement to the conflict (Fatah reserves the right to continue resistance through "armed struggle")
• Lack of commitment to a Two-State Solution to the conflict (leading to further conflict in achieving the One-State Solution)
• Support of Israel's worst enemies (Mahmoud Abbas' embrace of notorious terrorist Samir Kuntar)
  

The failure of the Times to highlight any of these issues creates the presumption that Fatah is a "good-faith negotiating partner." This makes it appear as if a peaceful settlement to the conflict is right at hand, while this far from the truth given the obstacle that Fatah's continued radicalism poses.

While it is true that Fatah is Israel's partner in negotiations, it does not mean that it is yet a true partner for peace.