Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel

What exactly did Areikat say about a “Jew Free Palestine”?

In 2010, in an interview with Tablet Magazine the following interaction took place.

[TABLET]: When you imagine a future Palestinian state, do you imagine it being a place where Jews, if they wish to become Palestinian citizens, could own property, vote in elections, and practice their religion freely?

[AREIKAT]: I remember in the mid-’90s, the late [PLO official] Faisal Husseini said repeatedly “OK, if Israelis choose to stay in a future Palestinian state, they are more than welcome to do that. But under one condition: They have to respect and obey Palestinian laws; they cannot be living as Israelis. They have to respect Palestinian laws and abide by them.” When Faisal Husseini died, basically no Palestinian leader has publicly supported the notion that they can stay. What we are saying is the following: We need to separate. We have to separate. We are in a forced marriage. We need to divorce. After we divorce, and everybody takes a period of time to recoup, rebound, whatever you want to call it, we may consider dating again.

[TABLET]: So, you think it would be necessary to first transfer and remove every Jew—

[AREIKAT]: Absolutely. No, I’m not saying to transfer every Jew, I’m saying transfer Jews who, after an agreement with Israel, fall under the jurisdiction of a Palestinian state.

[TABLET]: Any Jew who is inside the borders of Palestine will have to leave?

[AREIKAT]: Absolutely. I think this is a very necessary step, before we can allow the two states to somehow develop their separate national identities, and then maybe open up the doors for all kinds of cultural, social, political, economic exchanges, that freedom of movement of both citizens of Israelis and Palestinians from one area to another. You know you have to think of the day after. It is explicit in this sequence of statements that Areikat was calling for a Jew-Free State of Palestine, but Kampeas and others refuse to accept the reality.

Here are the statements from September 14, 2011.

WEINSTEIN: What kind of state do you perceive the independent Palestinians to be? For instance, do you imagine that in an independent Palestinian state, a Jew could be elected mayor of Ramallah?

AREIKAT: I haven’t seen the draft resolution but I can assure you the resolution will be calling for the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital. And it will definitely include also that it will live side by side in peace and security with Israel…

WEINSTEIN: To my point, do you foresee in an independent Palestinian state, for instance, a member of the Jewish minority there, if they existed, being elected mayor of Ramallah

AREIKAT: Well, you know, I personally still believe as a first step we need to be totally separated and we can contemplate these issues in the future. But after the experience of the last 44 years of military occupation and all the conflict of friction, I think it would be in the best interests of the two peoples to be separated first.

Weinstein asked for clarification after the event and got the following response:

WEINSTEIN: Could I get a quick clarification Mr. Ambassador? When I asked a question about whether a Jew could be elected mayor of Ramallah, you said there would be a period of separation. Does that mean that for a period there would be no Jews in the West Bank and Gaza?

AREIKAT: We have to be separated. We have to work on developing our own national identities and then after that we have to cooperate together, we have to live together.

As I have said before, if the Palestinians want to demonstrate that they will not follow the Judenrein polices of Hitler, let them take the Neturei Karta and settle them in Palestine. Why? Because they both share a great hatred toward Israel; the Neturei Karta would love living under a Palestinian flag; they would prove to be a great match to one another. Lastly, Israel could probably send the rest of the Haredi Jews who do not believe in the State of Israel along with the Neturei Karta. However, I suspect the Palestinian Authority really hates the idea of having any kind of Jew whatsoever—even the Neturei Karta. Why? The answer is deceptively simple, to the PA, we are all the same in their book. Besides, everyone in Israel knows that the Neturei Karta and the Haredim get tremendous benefits from the Israeli government and they would justifiably get nothing from a Palestinian government.

If a the Palestinians truly wish to create a homeland in the West Bank, why not extend to all Palestinians—no matter where they live—the right to settle in the West Bank or Gaza? Actually, the PA has denied their own people who are living in a Palestinian Diaspora such an option; they would rather see them continue living in a refugee camp-indefinitely. As you can see, the Palestinians are not interested in solving their differences with Israel—they are only interested in keeping the conflict alive until Israel eventually disappears.

If we had a strong President, he would have publicly chastised this racist and bigoted Palestinian vision for “peace.” I agree with the Israeli government’s suggestion that the Oslo Peace Treaty be laid to rest. After more than a decade, the Palestinians are still not interested in a genuine peace based upon mutual respect and recognition for each people’s right to self-determination.