After twenty five years of lying to the world about their support for “peace”, the Palestinian Authority is finally being punished for refusing to negotiate in good faith. Consecutive US Presidents coddled the Palestinian Authority and continued to give them billions of $ in US tax-payer money even though they always said NO to every US-brokered peace plan and instead continued to incite and support terror against Israel. Finally, the Trump administration is calling them out on their bluff and punishing them with consequences for their actions, and inactions in trying to pursue peace.
Palestinian Authority and Peace
The Palestinian Authority has said NO to every peace plan ever presented by consecutive US Presidents. Yet, every US President continued to pressure Israel to make more concessions, and never pressured the Palestinian Authority to stop inciting, supporting and funding terror.
That is finally changed.
After years of the Palestinian Authority saying no to even negotiate with Israel, the Trump administration is now making the Palestinian Authority pay a price for their actions.
Closing Washington DC Office
US national security adviser John Bolton yesterday announced that the US will be closing the PLO office in Washington DC. This is the diplomatic office of the Palestinian Authority in Washington.
The Trump administration is giving them a month to pack up and leave.
All the Palestinian Authority has to do to cancel this decree is to agree to sit and negotiate in good faith with Israel. However, the Authority will most probably not do that. They continue to say that they will not speak with the Trump administration. It seems that they have decided to wait out the Trump years, hoping that a new President with a more pro-“palestinian” administration, like Obama, will return to power and once again pressure Israel while ignoring their transgressions.
Threatening the ICC
Bolton also threatened the International Criminal Court of Justice with sanctions if it takes cases against Israel. This comes on the heels of the Palestinian Authority bringing a case against Israel at the ICC. The US told the Palestinian Authority that they are not allowed to do this, because any disagreements are supposed to be dealt with in negotiations, not in the International Court of Justice. Taking Israel to the ICC is a sign that the Palestinian Authority are not interested in good faith negotations, and the US is making them pay a price for this as well.
Reactions
The US made the correct decision regarding the PLO mission in Washington. Israel supports American actions that are designed to make it clear to the Palestinians that refusing to negotiate and attempts to attack Israel in international forums will not advance peace
— Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) September 11, 2018
#WTC17 The #Palestinians failed the litmus test 17 yrs ago (just like they celebrated when Saddam Hussein’s SCUD missiles slammed into Israel).
Not regrets on their part.
Today, @POTUS made them pay the price, closing down their DC office. https://t.co/smusV0iGUm— Lenny Ben-David (@lennybendavid) September 11, 2018
Yesterday’s @FedSoc speech by @AmbJohnBolton on ICC broke new ground by making clear that U.S. would respond to investigation of Israel as it would an investigation of US: with travel bans, asset freezes, and other serious measures against ICC officials and those who help them.
— Eugene Kontorovich (@EVKontorovich) September 11, 2018
Bolton’s ICC speech consistent with positions of Pres. Bush & Obama; what’s different now is prospect of investigations of US & Israel much more real, and Court’s credibility has been eroded by scandals, bias, and fecklessness
— Eugene Kontorovich (@EVKontorovich) September 11, 2018