Misreporting Bibi's Two-State Ambiguity

"Netanyahu Offers Conciliation, but Not Concessions"
A13, Wednesday, 4/1/09,
By Isabel Kershner

Does Netanyahu "oppose the idea of a sovereign Palestinian state"?

Further along in this article, Kershner quotes Netanyahu as saying "under the final settlement, the Palestinians will have all the rights to govern themselves except those that endanger the security and existence of the state of Israel.”

A demilitarized Palestinian state has been a commonly and logically accepted vision of Palestinian independence. Does such a condition negate a state's sovereignty? That Kershner can attribute to Netanyahu that he proposes only "a more limited form of self-rule" is too vague and too little to conclude that Netanyahu opposes a "sovereign Palestinian state".

Perhaps this report could’ve taken the opportunity to pose the question: what military capabilities that could "endanger Israel's security and existence," if taken away, would render Palestinian self-rule less than a sovereign state? But Kershner's article is not this penetrating, instead painting a black-and-white picture of Netanyahu's strategy on the peace process.

Kershner writes that Netanyahu's "refusal to endorse the two-state solution has led to skepticism and despondency on the Palestinian side". Here, Kershner states that the Palestinian "side" (presumably she means the Palestinian Authority [PA]) is despondent. She doesn't even state that they claim this, instead stating it as fact. Kershner doesn't entertain the notion that Netanyahu is serving as a public relations boon for the PA, which is conducting an international campaign to pressure Israel because of Netanyahu.

Finally, it wouldn't be a Times article about the peace process if it weren't for the gaping non-coverage of the PA's rejection of Israel. Only by not reporting the anti-Israel incitement on PA-controlled media, to Fatah's former security commander Dahlan's recent remarks that Fatah (as opposed to the PLO) has never recognized Israel, can Kershner not look foolish quoting professor Inbar: "as long as Hamas is in power, we (the Israelis) are off the hook."

Another dishonest assessment that Hamas are the only rejectionists among the Palestinian leadership.