Latest from Haaretz, Israel’s “NY Times”

(May 12)

Why we need to talk with Hamas!

Turkey's Erdogan: Hamas is a political party, not a terrorist group

Speaking to Charlie Rose on the burgeoning unity cabinet, Turkish PM says Palestinian reconciliation is a necessary step en route to achieving Mideast peace.

By Haaretz Service Tags: Israel news Hamas Gaza Turkey Middle East peace

Hamas is not a terror organization, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in an interview with U.S. television late Wednesday, saying he felt the recently penned Palestinian reconciliation agreement was an essential step toward Mideast peace.

Erdogan's comments came one day after Hamas Gaza strongman Mahmoud Zahar said that while his organization would accept a Palestinian state within 1967 borders, it would never recognize Israel, as a result of the damage such a move would do to Palestinian refugees in the "diaspora."

All Netanyahu needs is to say one magic number: 1967

If Netanyahu finds a way to say '1967' in Washington, he will earn a new lease on life. He will give hope to his country and himself. But if he hesitates, if he hems and haws, he will be done for.

By Ari Shavit

The international community is tensely waiting to hear Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's words to the U.S. Congress in 12 days' time. Yet it will not be words that determine how the speech is received, but rather a number. If Netanyahu does not specifically mention the number 1967, the world will reject his speech from the outset. Israel's future hangs today on the prime minister's ability to utter the four digits he has not yet uttered - one, nine, six, seven: 1967.

Netanyahu? 1967? Not a chance - unless he realizes the seriousness of the situation. Unless he realizes that our backs are to the wall and we must change direction. Unless he rises above himself and becomes a statesman and a leader.

Ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, or, democratic Israel at work

While we are still desperately concealing, denying and repressing our major ethnic cleansing of 1948 - over 600,000 refugees, some who fled for fear of the Israel Defense Forces and its predecessors, some who were expelled by force - it turns out that 1948 never ended, that its spirit is still with us.

By Gideon Levy

It happened on the day after Independence Day, when Israel was immersed in praise of itself and its democracy almost ad nauseam, and on the eve of (virtually outlawed ) Nakba Day, when the Palestinian people mark the "catastrophe" - the anniversary of the creation of Israel. My colleague Akiva Eldar published what we have always known but for which we lacked the shocking figures he revealed: By the time of the Oslo Accords, Israel had revoked the residency of 140,000 Palestinians from the West Bank. In other words, 14 percent of West Bank residents who dared to go abroad had their right to return to Israel and live here denied forever. In other words, they were expelled from their land and their homes. In other words: ethnic cleansing.

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