Unprecedented

First we heard PLO official and former PA minister Dr. Sufian Abu Zaida say this on Sunday:

“I give up the Palestinian state. I want one state. I’m ready to sign a one state and don’t want two states. If there won’t be a Palestinian state, it will be like South Africa here.”

And today chief negotiator Saeb Erekat hinted toward the same message:

“If God – like in Netanyahu’s terms – would be a land broker, and if they want to kill the two state solution, then maybe this is the moment of truth for the Palestinian leadership, for Abu Mazen, to tell his people the truth, that with continuation of settlement activity, the two state solution is no longer an option.”

The PA's headache

He continued by saying that the Palestinians might just as well focus their attention on creating a country where Muslims, Jews and Christians can live as equals. Dr. Erekat called upon Netanyahu to close his eyes and walk him through the year 2030.

“What does he see in the land from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean sea. We’re going to stay here. We have no option but to stay in this land.”

Update: Even the Financial Times is saying it, the two-state-solution is over.

Mr Abbas’s position has been steadily eroded over time because he has absolutely nothing to show for his years of pursuing a peace strategy based on a negotiated settlement – except for expanded Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land.

If a figure such as Mr Abbas cannot survive in the present climate, then he is likely to be replaced by a far more radical and uncompromising leadership. No Palestinian leader can or will negotiate while Israeli colonisation of the West Bank continues. Mr Netanyahu’s refusal to call a halt to expanding settlements means in effect there will be no two-state solution.

If that is so, then the prospect is for a long and bitter fight for equal rights within one state. That would spell the end of Israel as a democratic Jewish state. It would come to resemble in many ways the struggle against apartheid in South Africa. If Mr Netanyahu believes that he has achieved a victory by refusing to halt the settlements, he is wrong. It is more like a project of national suicide.

Netanyahu also created a new ministry for himself. Apart from being prime minister he will also function as minister of Financial Strategy, while Mr. Yuval Steinitz gets the (separate!) Finance ministry. The one thing missing is a Ministry of Silly Walks.

Below a complete list of ‘who-is-who’ in the new Israeli coalition government.

New Cabinet (Haaretz)