Edelstein: Fatah congress a declaration of war
Information minister launched scathing attack on Palestinian President
Abbas, his people. 'The most violent and extreme settlement of all is the
Palestinian state, which will be established by the moderates who call for
an armed struggle and the right of return,' he says
Roni Sofer YNET Published: 08.04.09, 14:41 / Israel News
www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3757000,00.html

Information and Diaspora Minister Yuli Edelstein (Likud) on Tuesday referred
to the Fatah congress being held in Bethlehem as "a declaration of war."

"We must not act as if we haven't heard," he told Ynet. "We must emerge from
the circle of illusions that these are moderates who want peace. They
explicitly say that they support continuing the armed struggle."

Minister Edelstein addressed remarks made by Fatah strongman and others, who
have said that they will not give up the armed struggle. Palestinian
President Mahmoud Abbas himself said during the conference that alongside
the choice of peace, "resistance" was still an option.

"Are these the moderate leaders the world wants us to hold negotiations
with?" he asked. "My feeling is that we are not interested in listening to
the voices calling for an armed struggle, for the right of return and for
the establishment of a capital of their own in Jerusalem.

"We are pretending not to hear the clear trend demonstrated by Abu Mazen
(Abbas) and his people to adapt themselves to Hamas," the information
minister said.

"Our main task is to act in the international arena and explain the
difference between dreams and reality," he continued. "There they are doing
the easiest thing - accusing Israel of refusing to freeze construction in
Jerusalem. They don't see that what is happening in Bethlehem and what is
being said there is not being said by Hamas, Hezbollah or (Syrian President)
Bashar Assad.

"This is Fatah we are talking about, those who the international community
is allegedly pushing us to negotiate with. If anyone should talk about
settlements endangering peace, the most violent and extreme settlement is
the Palestinian state, which will be established and run by the 'moderate'
speaking today at the Fatah conference."

Edelstein called on the government to continue the Israeli construction in
the West Bank and Jerusalem. He claimed that the Palestinian Authority in
Nablus and Jenin was acting against Hamas for its own benefit, and not for
peace with Israel.

"It's all a result of the internal power struggles. They want to oppress
Hamas. The competition is not over who will control the area and manage
peace, but rather who will lead the struggle against Israel. Those who
really seek peace are not taking today in Bethlehem about an armed
struggle."

Edelstein's remarks followed a warning issued Monday night by former Shin
Bet chief, Knesset Member Avi Dichter (Kadima), who said that the Fatah
conference could lead to a third intifada.