Now that the nature of Arafat and the Palestinian society
that he built has become exposed to the world, the importance
of many of the neglected paragraphs of the original Oslo
agreements becomes painfully evident. Even many elements of
the Israeli Left -- apparently the last to cling to the hopes
raised in Norway almost nine years ago -- are beginning to
admit that the constant, vicious incitement against Israelis
and Jews that is practiced throughout the Palestinian
Authority is a key factor in the constant tension and now
escalating violence against us.
The first Oslo agreement included a paragraph obligating the
Palestinians to refrain from incitement against Israel. A
similar paragraph was pasted into just about every agreement
signed with the Palestinians since then, propagating through
the documents like a persistent tune, but completely ignored
in practice. Some violations of the agreements were at least
explained away or "honored" by devising loopholes, even if
after the fact. But there was never any pretense of even
restraining the vile tirades against Jews.
Maps used in PA classrooms do not show Israel. All of the
area between the Jordan and the Mediterranean is marked
"Occupied Palestine." The education controlled by the
Authority teaches hatred of Jews. Not only do the Palestinian
education institutions not educate Palestinian youth to peace
and coexistence, but their message is one that leads to a
deepening hatred and an inflammation of passions.
They glorify death and martyrdom. A worldwide symbol of the
Palestinians has become the homicide (suicide) bomber.
Children are taught in the schools that such deeds are
admirable, with songs glorifying them. This poisons
Palestinian society, focusing it entirely on death and
destruction.
A few days ago during its searching in Hebron for criminal
terrorists, the IDF found a photograph that has since been
broadcast around the world. Shown is the toddler son of one
of the terrorists, dressed up as a homicide bomber complete
with an explosive belt. (It could not be determined if the
explosives were live or not.)
Another recent find was a series of photographs of a Hamas
"summer camp" in Gaza. The theme of the camp was murdering
Jews, and the young campers enacted various mass murders that
have taken place over the past two years. The central event
depicted there was the particularly gruesome and bloody lynch
of two Israeli soldiers that took place in Ramallah almost
two years ago, and one young camper is seen with his hands
colored red in imitation of the famous picture of the
Palestinian celebrating death with the blood of the Jewish
soldiers on his hands.
When the Right quoted Palestinian rhetoric in the years
following Oslo, the Left dismissed them, confident that such
expressions would fade away as peace took hold. Yet this
incitement has been getting worse over the years.
Now it is clear that no peaceful resolution of the conflict
with the Palestinians is possible under these conditions. It
is clear that it is not only Arafat who is not a peace
partner; Palestinian society as a whole is not willing to
tolerate the Jews. Almost 80 percent (according to the polls)
want to continue the homicidal attacks.
In their rhetoric about us, the Palestinians are the heirs of
a long tradition that goes back to Homon and to Lovon. We
cannot expect this sort of incitement to be entirely
eradicated, but it must certainly be controlled if there is
to be a possibility for a stable settlement.
