Why No Peace? Because the PA Tells Its People that Murdering Israeli Civilians Makes You a Hero

By Barry Rubin

The trouble with the Palestinian Authority (PA) is that while in the Western mass media it is virtually always portrayed as moderate the PA simply doesn’t act that way. Its contrary behavior involves not keeping its commitments, daily incitement to kill Israelis and destroy Israel in its institutions, and refusal to negotiate seriously.

Above all, it means refusing to make peace in the context of a two-state solution. Among other things, it rejects the idea off a peace treaty ending the conflict--a pretty remarkable stance--or resettling its people within the state of Palestine but insisting many should go to Israel to live--a pretty remarkable stance for what's supposed to be a nationalist movement.

But then there are the symbolic things that persuade Israelis not to trust the PA with their future fate, even if Israel must deal with the PA and even save it from being overthrown by Hamas.

To put it in one sentence; there is nothing the PA won’t do in terms of justifying the murder of Israelis as a heroic deed that should be considered. Here is a case so extreme—publicized by the praiseworthy Palestinian Media Watch (PMW)  that it should reverberate internationally, making people understand the true reason why this conflict cannot be settled. Oh, and it immediately follows PMW's revelation that the highest-ranking, PA-appointed Palestinian Muslim cleric called for genocide against the Jews. 

Now, twice in one week, a PA television host praised Hakim Awad, the murderer of the Fogel family who, last March, carried out the bloody slaughter of an unarmed father, mother, and three children (11 years, 4 years, and 2 months, respectively) in their home. The program held him up as a good role model for Palestinians.

There are hundreds of such events--you can visit the PMW site to read about them and see them on video--yet the Western mass media, not to mention governments, never take this incitement seriously even though it violates many agreements made by the PA.

What do you think their effect is going to be? 

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