"What Were the Oslo Accords?" Oh, Nothing Really. Just a Declaration of Principles

[paft.livejournal.com]

Benjamin Netanyahu, 2001:

What were the Oslo Accords? The Oslo Accords, which the Knesset signed, I was asked, before the elections: ‘Will you act according to them?’ and I answered: ‘yes, subject to mutuality and limiting the retreats.’ 'But how do you intend to limit the retreats?’ ‘I'll give such interpretation to the Accords that will make it possible for me to stop this galloping to the '67 [armistice] lines. How did we do it?’



A video has surfaced of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a conversation from 2001, when he was apparently unaware he was being filmed. In it, he brags about how easy it is to “move” the United States and offers a boastful account of how he destroyed the Oslo Accords:

Narrator: The Oslo Accords stated at the time that Israel would gradually hand over territories to the Palestinians in three different pulses, unless the territories in question had settlements or military sites. This is where Netanyahu found a loophole.



Netanyahu: No one said what defined military sites. Defined military sites, I said, were security zones. As far as I'm concerned, the Jordan Valley is a defined military site.

Woman: Right [laughs]...The Beit She'an Valley.

Netanyahu: How can you tell. How can you tell? But then the question came up of just who would define what Defined Military Sites were. I received a letter -- to me and to Arafat, at the same time -- which said that Israel, and only Israel, would be the one to define what those are, the location of those military sites and their size. Now, they did not want to give me that letter, so I did not give the Hebron Agreement. I stopped the government meeting, I said: 'I'm not signing.' Only when the letter came, in the course of the meeting, to me and to Arafat, only then did I sign the Hebron Agreement. Or rather, ratify it, it had already been signed. Why does this matter? Because at that moment I actually stopped the Oslo Accord.

For the transcript in English translation, go here.

Grossly dishonest and cynical, but hey, who cares? After all, the victims of this maneuvering were, for the most part, Palestinians.

As Haaretz.com puts it:

…this is the real Netanyahu. No more claims that the Palestinians are to blame for the failure of the Oslo Accords. Netanyahu exposed the naked truth to his hosts at Ofra: he destroyed the Oslo accords with his own hands and deeds, and he's even proud of it. After years in which we were told that the Palestinians are to blame, the truth has emerged from the horse's mouth.

Crossposted from Thoughtcrimes

Comments

[xforge.livejournal.com]

Countdown to this being publicized one one-trillionth as much as "ClimateGate" in 3... 2...

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Israel could fire a nuke directly into Colorado Springs for the EVULZ and the Right-Wing would beg on both knees for forgiveness from the Israelis. Unfortunately no-one will care about this. And ZOMG a post I agree entirely with Paft on. O.o

[torpidai.livejournal.com]

and the Right-Wing would beg on both knees for forgiveness from the Israelis. Unfortunately no-one will care about this.

Right wing/Left wing, Middle of the road, standing on the fence, I'm lost, we are after all just people, with our own (Often very different) opinions paying taxes to a government paid for by our ancestors blood yet maintained with our hard-earned, and I can't see this being in "The peoples interest"

The Palestinians have been Persecuted by the Americans Israeli's for years, many articles on yootoob of Israeli police treating Palesinians like Rodney King, Who stands up? Who gives a damn anymore? "Shhh The Magic goldfish bowl is showing satirical cartoons, lets just sit, watch, get stoned and giggle at the stupidity of Brian and Stewie, after all it's not real right?" seems to be the order of the day!

Don't panic, If you write to (Edited so the Americans can understand ;) ) your congressman, If you've paid your taxes you'r name can be scribbled in crayon by any one of the dyslexic cannon fodder on any bomb of your choice, Don't that make it feel like you're doing something?

Western "democracy" is far from democratic, The only difference seems to me is the lack of "The peoples Democratic republic of" as a prefix to the country name, Elections (From what I've seen) are there just for show, There's not much left to do, Hell I'm informed that someone tried to remove broadcasters rights to broadcast profanity just recently, Hell that's the Free world for ye! Sod em, Until they earn enough to become tax exempt, who cares!

[htpcl.livejournal.com]

"we are after all just people, with our own (Often very different) opinions"

So totally this.

[paft.livejournal.com]

That's the best you can do, eh?

[paft.livejournal.com]

It is certainly shocking for a national leader to be caught on tape boasting about successfully short-circuiting a signed accord.

[headhouse.livejournal.com]

Clearly, if one side is selfish and ruthless, the other side must be innocent and harmless.

Hell, it's almost like we've seen this before. Y'know, like how the right is purified, concentrated evil and the left is the embodiment of all that is good in the universe?

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

[root-fu.livejournal.com]

Netanyahu must have been huffing white phorphorous, and had too many arab babies for breakfast, that day.