Israel Matzav: The 'moderate' Salam Fayyad

The 'moderate' Salam Fayyad

Last month, I reported that 'Palestinian' Prime Minister Salam Fayyad had presented a plan that would create a 'Palestinian state' within two years - with or without Israeli consent. Fayyad has been widely praised as a 'moderate' and his 'Palestinian state' announcement was largely hailed in the mainstream media (including in Israel) as showing that Fayyad was building the institutions of a 'Palestinian state' from the ground up, thereby making it more likely that such a state would actually be established.

Unfortunately, many of the people who praised Fayyad apparently never bothered to read his actual proposal. It's called Ending the Occupation, Establishing the State. And it has some provisions in it that ought to make those who consider Fayyad a 'moderate' reconsider that classification (Hat Tip: David Bedein).

Protect Jerusalem as the eternal capital of the Palestinian state

Jerusalem is our people’s religious, cultural, economic and political center. It is the Flower of Cities and Capital of Capitals. It cannot be anything but the eternal capital of the future Palestinian state. Jerusalem is under threat: the occupying authority is implementing a systematic plan to alter the city’s landmarks and its geographical and demographic character in order to forcibly create facts on the ground, ultimately separating it from its Palestinian surroundings and eradicating its Arab Palestinian heritage. To achieve this goal, the occupying authority is pursuing its intensive settlement policy in and around Jerusalem, including land confiscation, expanding and distorting the city’s structural plans, and, through the construction of the Wall, isolating it from its Palestinian surroundings. Inside the city, which has effectively been converted by these policies into an isolated and closed ghetto, the occupation regime has shut down our national institutions, neglected the development of Palestinian life, continued to demolish and evacuate Palestinian homes, and restricted access to sacred Christian and Islamic sites. If these measures continue, the possibility of establishing the Palestinian state and ending the conflict on the basis of the two-state solution will be terminally undermined.

The Government emphasizes its unreserved commitment to defending the Arab character and status of Jerusalem, and to restore its character as a city of peace, worship and tolerance that, with no barriers or walls, is open not only to our people but to all humankind. The Government will continue to do all that is possible to achieve this goal. The Government will work with all organizations to preserve the landmarks of Jerusalem and its Arab Palestinian heritage, develop the city, and secure its contiguity with its Palestinian surroundings. The Government will also dedicate all its capacities to confront the occupation regime’s policies; continue to work on regional and international levels to stop these policies; support education, health, economic, cultural, and tourism activities; reopen Palestinian institutions; defy house demolition and evacuation orders; and resist all restrictions on our citizens, thereby safeguarding their struggle to remain steadfast in the capital city of their homeland. [Does anyone think he's only talking about 'east' Jerusalem? CiJ]

Protect refugees and follow up on attainment of their rights

The majority of the Palestinian people are refugees and displaced persons living in the Palestinian territory and abroad. Most refugees live under oppressive and harsh conditions, lacking their most fundamental human rights, foremost of which is the right to live on their homeland. Though the issue of refugees will be addressed in the final status negotiations, it is certain that no political settlement can be accepted by Palestinians without a just and agreed solution to this fundamental issue in accordance with international resolutions, including UN General Assembly Resolution 194. [This is the resolution that calls for allowing 'refugees' who are willing to live in peace with Israel to return to their homes. In 1948, it might have been relevant. Time has passed it by and most of those 'refugees' are long since dead. In other words, he's calling for the 'right of return' which would destroy Israel from within. CiJ]

The refugee issue will remain under the jurisdiction of the PLO, through its Department of Refugees’ Affairs. The Government affirms its full commitment to all PLO decisions in relation to this issue. Within limits of its jurisdiction, without derogation of PLO’s responsibility, and in a manner that does not exempt the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) from its responsibilities, the Government emphasizes that it will do all within its power and authority to bolster on the legal rights and living conditions of refugees in the occupied territory, particularly in refugee camps, including the provision of all the resources it can afford to support and alleviate the suffering of refugees in all aspects of their lives.

It is also clear from this document that Fayyad plans on having a full diplomatic corps. Forget that demilitarized state with no treaties or alliances that Prime Minister Netanyahu envisioned. And he envisions that 'Palestine' will be a shari'a compliant state.

Ministry of Waqf and Religious Affairs

The Ministry of Waqf and Religious Affairs (MoWRA) has the following objectives:
Promote awareness and understanding of the Islamic religion and culture and disseminate the concept of tolerance in the religion through:

• Developing and implementing programs of Shari’a education as derived from the science of the Holy Qur’an and Prophet’s heritage.
• Empowering mosques as a center of guidance, through improving their infrastructure and services.

Promote service delivery to citizens through:

• Developing buildings and services, and maintaining mosques.
• Supporting the activities of the Hajj and ‘Umrah.
• Supervising Shari’a education, including at the College of Preaching and Shari’a Science as well as the Islamic Orphanage.

Protect and promote effective and efficient management of Zakat funds and Waqf properties through:

• Improving the management of the Zakat funds and ensuring equitable distribution.
• Following up on the survey of the Waqf properties.
• Creating a computerized database to keep all information on Waqf properties.
• Developing policies on the best utilization of Waqf properties.

The court system is also a shari'a court system.

What could go wrong?

Israel Matzav: The 'moderate' Salam Fayyad