May 30, 2005
Q & A with Saeb Erekat

Chief Palestinian Negotiator Saeb Erekat answers JPost.com readers’ questions

B.M, Chicago, Illinois, USA: Why should settlements be dismantled? Shouldn’t a Palestinian State demonstrate tolerance to all religions, like Israel has demonstrated already by giving all citizens equal rights before the law?

Saeb Erekat: Dismantling settlements is facilitating the way for tolerance and coexistence between the State of Palestine and Israel; it’s not about Palestinians not tolerating Jews. We have never been racist. Those who introduce such arguments are only undermining the two state solution.

If the reader [who asked this question] wants to consider one state between Jordan and the Mediterranean to be equal, with peace, and live in tolerance with all religions, we will think about it. However, by saying that, I’m afraid somebody will accuse me of trying to undermine the Jewish nature of Israel.

I believe it is in the interest of Palestinians and Israelis to have a two state solution.

Beth Alexander, England: Do you think Hamas can become a legitimate political party in the July elections? How will the Palestinian Authority react to its (Hamas’) political advances?

Saeb Erekat: Yes, I believe Hamas should become a legitimate political party and adhere to the rule of law and to the oneness of the authority, and abandon parallel authorities.

This should be applicable to all parties and factions, as democracies and elections are based on the rule of law and the oneness of the authority. Whoever wins the election under this category will be the winner. It is as simple as that, like in any other democracy.

Rick Blumsack, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA: With respect to Palestinian refugees and their descendants, since a continuation of the status quo is unenviable, and a "right of return" a non-starter, what alternative solutions should be explored?

Saeb Erekat: Refugees, Jerusalem, settlements, borders, water, etc., are issues reserved for permanent status negotiations. I can assure you that all issues such as these — including issues of refugees — are doable.

What we need now is not to negotiate issues through The Jerusalem Post but urge the Israeli government to resume permanent status negotiations on refugees, Jerusalem, settlements, borders, water etc.

I can assure you that solutions acceptable to both parties can be achieved sooner than anyone expects. The most important thing is to resume permanent status negotiations.

Muhammad-Ali Younes, Beirut, Lebanon: Salam! Do you think that East Jerusalem will ever be handed to the Arabs (I want your opinion)? If not, are you continuing with the peace process?

Saeb Erekat: East Jerusalem came under Israeli occupation, as did the West Bank and Gaza strip. The road map specified the endgame of the peace process "to end the Israeli occupation that began in 1967."

We don’t need to reinvent the wheel. I believe it is known by now. It is no secret. The Palestinian state will be established on June 4,1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital, living side by side with the state of Israel.

Aaron Swirski, Netanya, Israel: Mr. Erekat, what is your view on the uprooting of Jews from Gaza?

And if you think that this is legitimate, why not uproot Arabs to achieve peace?

Saeb Erekat: Mr. Swirski, what is happening in Gaza is not uprooting Jews from Gaza. The disengagement from Gaza and the moving of Israelis to Israel proper is facilitating the way for a two state solution.

Once we have peace and two states on the ground, we will have to work on the best of the special relationships between Palestinians and Israelis.

I hope the day will come when Israelis can live freely in the state of Palestine and Palestinians can live freely in the state of Israel, if the laws of both countries will permit it.

Altaf Qadir, Kabul Afghanistan: Looking at recent history, it is obvious that Israelis are not going to abide by their promises / accords. What is special this time around that leads you to believe that a new peace agreement with Israel will not end up with the same fate as the Oslo accord?

Saeb Erekat: I believe that the majority of the Israeli people, like the majority of Palestinian people, are eager and hold no wish dearer than to live in peace and security and achieve peace.

I am sure that the day will come where agreements between Palestinians and Israelis will be honored. When we make peace as Palestinians, we are not doing the Israelis a favor. Peace serves Palestinian interests more than anything else. I hope that the Israelis would realize that they are not doing us a favor, because peace also serves Israeli interests.

Our conflict is not a zero sum game, with either two winners or two losers. The only way to bring about two winners is through peace that can lead to the two state solution — which will come.

Martin Rau, Wuppertal, Germany: Do you call the offer of then Prime Minister Ehud Barak at the Camp David negotiations a "generous offer"? If not, please give some explanations or even point to literature. Thank You.

Saeb Erekat: Camp David was not a failure in my eyes. Camp David brought Palestinians and Israelis to where they have never been before. History will judge that at Camp David, President Clinton succeeded to get President Arafat and Prime Minister Barak to turn 80 percent of never turned stones.

I don’t recall a generous offer or a rejection at Camp David. All I know today is that Camp David will constitute the foundation for future peace between Palestinians and Israelis.

Solomon Max, New York, USA: Does the PA have plans to change the curriculum of the Palestinian schools to encourage peaceful coexistence between the PA and Israel?

Saeb Erekat: Yes, the Palestinian Authority intends to have its own curriculum in the Palestinian schools. Maybe what you don’t know is that our teachers in Gaza today use the Egyptian curriculum that Israel used from 1967 to 1993 in Palestinian schools. In the West Bank, they use the same Jordanian textbooks that Israel used from 1967 to 1993 in Palestinian schools.

We began introducing Palestinian Authority books to first and second grades and I hope the day will come when we finish. I couldn’t agree more that it is in the interest of Palestinians to encourage their kids towards peace and reconciliation and to abandon hatred, anger, bigotry and racism.

It is to the benefit of Palestinians to bring a society of peace, tolerance and reconciliation and for this, today, we are encouraging Palestinian kids to meet Israeli schoolchildren and discuss the future through groups like Seeds of Peace.

Jack: When the wall is finally completed separating the West Bank from Eretz Israel, will the State of Palestine be able to survive on its own when it comes to supplying electricity, water and phone service?

Saeb Erekat: I think the wall continuation is undermining the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state, for the wall — in its current route — does not separate Palestinians and Israelis but separates Palestinians and Palestinians. If Israel wishes to erect a wall between Israel and Palestine, they should have built the wall on the Green Line and not in the heart of the West Bank.

I urge Israel to think of building bridges and not walls.

Raz Telchai: I have heard Mr. Erekat speak many times on "historic Palestine‘ and the Palestinian willingness to compromise by accepting 22% of ’historic Palestine." Where is this historic Palestine, and who are these historic Palestinians?

Saeb Erekat: I am not here to score points. I’m here to explain the need to reconcile and the need to abandon confrontation and violence. It is cheaper for Israelis and Palestinians to negotiate peace in pain and frustration for five years than to exchange bullets for five minutes.

Denying historic Palestine does not mean that historic Palestine did not exist. Go back to history and you’ll find out about it. It is also in the Bible.

Dr. Jonathan  G. Campbell, University of Bristol, UK: Why did Arafat reject the deal on the table at Taba in late 2000/early 2001? Having rejected it, why did he not make his own counter-proposals? Why did Arafat instead start a new Palestinian terror war against Israel’s civilian population?

Saeb Erekat: President Arafat did not reject the offer, which was made by President Clinton, and it was not made in Taba. The offer was made to me personally and to Shlomo Ben-Ami on December 23, 2000. President Arafat responded in writing to President Clinton accepting his proposal and asking for some clarifications.

The Taba negotiation between Jan 21st and 28th 20001 took place in accordance with what was discussed in Camp David, the Clinton parameters and other negotiations. Taba didn’t fail. We needed more time to conclude a permanent status treaty.

Mr. Campbell, I’d like to reassure you today that no time was wasted while negotiating. I admit that mistakes were made by Palestinians, Americans and Israelis. But I believe today that if we were to resume permanent status negotiations with Israel, a full treaty of peace could be achieved in less than six months.

Donald B. Nemer, Esquire, Eagan, Minnesota, USA: Are there any joint initiatives going on towards religious and social tolerance/acceptance between the two peoples?

Saeb Erekat: Yes, I believe that this line of joint initiative will save lives of Israelis and Palestinians and will make the road to peace shorter. I believe the more Israelis and Palestinians learn about each other and from each other and not as they were brought up to think of the other, it will make our road to peace shorter.

Today, the Peres Center, the Church of Canterbury, Seeds of Peace and many other organizations initiate programs. I can reveal to you today that I’m in the process with my Israeli colleagues of working to revive the standing committee on People To People. I believe getting Palestinians and Israelis from all tiers of life -journalists, women, professors, farmers, doctors, scientists, poets, dancers, artists — will make Palestinians and Israelis more tolerant and accepting of one another.

I believe that’s where the foundation for real peace lies.

David Bennett, Johannesburg, South Africa: Does Israel have a right to exist as a "Jewish State" in perpetuity (i.e. as it has since 1948 where Jews have been the majority)? And by this I do mean a state that has a vibrant Muslim / Arab Israeli minority which is not discriminated against.

My question is important because as a Diaspora Jew, I want to know that if our people are ever the victims of an intended Holocaust again, we will have somewhere to turn to.

I personally hope and pray for a real two state solution, living side by side in peace. But obviously if all the refugees have to come live in Israel, it won’t continue to exist as a Jewish state in the future.

Saeb Erekat: The PA and PLO have recognized the state of Israel’s right to exist within secure 1967 borders and accepted to have a Palestinian state next to the state of Israel. In terms of geography, Israel is 78% of British mandated Palestine while the state of Palestine will be in the remaining 22%.

Israel can call itself whatever it wants to call itself as far as Palestinians go.

Ryan Warner, Fort Myers, Florida, USA: As I understand it, those who oppose an Israeli withdrawal from the Gush Katif settlements fear it will be interpreted as weakness, and that Palestinians — instead of focusing on building real, sustainable communities — will see the withdrawal as proof that violence works in the long run (and will thus continue to resort to it).

What assurances do the Israelis have that withdrawal will be met with peace… rather than a violent push for additional land?

Saeb Erekat: Sixteen months ago, I approached my Israeli colleagues and urged them to make Gaza disengagement as a result of negotiations with us and not as a unilateral step because at that time I feared that was what certain Palestinian groups would do. Because the of violence today, I urge my Israeli colleagues to have the disengagement as part of a road map and in full coordination with the Palestinian authority, so we can make it an opportunity for peace and reconciliation.

Philip Freed: Every nation has a history. What is the history of Arab Palestine? What festivals will you celebrate and what days of mourning will you adhere to — peculiar only to Palestine? Will Jews be permitted to travel in your country without being murdered? Thank you.

Saeb Erekat: The day of celebration for Palestinians will be the day we make peace with Israel and the day we establish our Palestinian State next to the State of Israel, free from Israeli occupation. I believe that for genuine peace to materialize, an environment of tolerance must be created.

We as Palestinians are so proud that throughout our history Muslims, Jews and Christians have lived in this holy land, and the day will come when Jews not only will be permitted to travel in Palestine but be full partners in many spheres of life as a natural growth of peace between Palestinians and Israelis.

A long time ago, my world stopped being those who are pro-Israel and those who are pro- Palestinian. My world, as should be yours, should be those who are pro-peace and those against peace, and the only way I know of saving Israeli and Palestinians is through a meaningful peace process that revives hope in the minds of Palestinians and Israelis.

David Smajovits, Montreal, Canada: How does the PA react to the murder of Samir Rantisi, the prominent Palestinian voice for non-violent resistance? Moreover, how can non-violent activists feel free to express their opinions following this incident?

Saeb Erekat: I mourn the death of my friend, Samir Rentisi. His murder aches my heart but he was not murdered as an act of political violence. It was unfortunately a criminal act that has nothing to do with political violence. His killers are in jail and will soon be brought to trial. God bless his soul.

Saeb Erekat, Minister of Negotiating Affairs in the Palestinian Authority and head of the PLO’s Negotiating Affairs Department, was born in Jerusalem in 1955.

Erekat served as deputy head of the Palestinian delegation to the Madrid Conference on Middle East Peace in 1991 and the Washington talks in 1992—3.

A year later, Yasser Arafat appointed him as Minister of Local Government within the Palestinian Authority. In 1994, Erekat helped establish a national unity government and, as a resident of Jericho, created the Jericho City Council under the Gaza-Jericho agreement.

Erekat acted as Arafat’s personal translator to English audiences and was appointed lead negotiator for the interim phases of the Oslo Peace process in 1995. By 2000, Erekat had risen to lead negotiator of the Wye Accords and Camp David peace talks.