Haaretz Editorial: There is no right of return

papau

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Mon Aug-18-03 09:14 AM
Original message

Haaretz Editorial: There is no right of return

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=330494&contrassID=2&subContrassID=3&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y

There is no right of return

Palestinian Authority External Affairs Minister Nabil Sha'ath chose Lebanon, an Arab state that denies the most fundamental human rights to a myriad of Palestinian refugees, as a base from which to unleash a provocative declaration regarding the right of 1948 refugees to return to Haifa. His remarks were neither a slip of the tongue nor mere historic-legal sophistry about the theoretical rights of principle held by the refugees. In a series of polished statements, the PA ministerrelated to the return ofrefugees as a practical solution - and even as aprecondition - to a final status agreement.

...Sha'ath said the right of return to "Palestinian cities in the Jewish state" is an integral part of the Arabpeace initiative, which is referred to by the road map as one of the fundamental elements ofa permanent agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. Concurrently, organizations operating refugeecamps in the territories staged a rally under Palestinian Authority patronage devoted to theslogan: "There is no alternative to a right ofreturn." Speakers berated Prof. Sari Nusseibeh,who has been recruiting support for a peaceplan proposing that refugees redeem a right ofreturn by establishing homes in a newPalestinian state erected on the West Bank andGaza Strip. They also attacked Dr. KhalilShikaki, head of the public opinion researchinstitute in Ramallah, who released acomprehensive survey showing that only aminority of refugees in Lebanon, Jordan and theterritories want to redeem a right of return toIsrael. Statements about a right of return, particularly ones made by Sha'ath, sparked vehementrebuttals not only (as would be expected) fromspokesmen for the government and the right-wingin Israel, but also from opposition chairman Shimon Peres and Meretz Knesset members YossiSarid and Ran Cohen. They emphasized that theywould adamantly oppose a peace agreement that includes a Palestinian right of return to Israel, since such a right poses a threat tothe state's identity and to the solution of two states for two peoples. The Palestinian leadership would be well advisedto take very seriously the united front in Israel that opposes a right of return. The most committed supporters of the Oslo Accords believe that a concession of refugees' right of return to Haifa can be traded fairly for a concession of Jews' right of return to Hebron.Israel, just like the PA and Arab states,should have an interest in the search for a just solution for hundreds of thousands ofstateless, disenfranchised people who live in,and outside, refugee camps. But this solutioncannot include a return of refugees to the State of Israel; instead, the return should be to the Palestinian state that will arise along side Israel. Virtually all Palestinian leaders have poorly served their own people by cultivating amongrefugees the illusion of a right of return toIsrael, rather than courageously encouragingthem to recognize that the establishment of aPalestinian state entails the relinquishing ofhopes of returning to Israeli territory. With his irresponsible remarks, Sha'ath throws dustin Palestinians' eyes, and spoils prospects of forging an agreement, even with those in Israel who believe in compromise.