Liberals, Palestinians and the sanctity of life

Isi Leibler
http://wordfromjerusalem.com/?p=2439

Traditionally, abolition of the death penalty was always a primary objective of liberal establishments throughout the world. But clearly, there are notable exceptions. For example, when Hamas activists throw Palestinian Authority leaders off the rooftops and the PA reciprocate, that is hardly newsworthy. Likewise when our Palestinian "peace partner" reaffirms its long-standing policy of killing any citizen who commits the cardinal crime of selling land to a Jew, there is no global backlash, no BBC reports and no New York Times or Guardian editorials condemning such behavior.

Of course, in today's bizarre political climate some liberals might argue that executing someone for having sold land to a Jew would not be classified as a breach of international law or a war crime. Some would probably suggest say that if an Arab stoops to the depths of selling land to a Jew, he surely deserves to be executed. In addition, many insist that such matters are internal affairs for Palestinians to resolve without external interference. However, should any Arab-Israeli encounter discrimination in terms of a property purchase, it invariably results in an international outcry.

It is particularly shameful that US President Barack Obama, who displayed no inhibitions in publicly pressuring Israel to continue maintaining the settlement freeze, provided the Palestinians with a free pass on this by refusing to say anything about the matter. Not surprisingly, this has not been raised at the UN Security Council and there was not even a hint of any commission of inquiry.

Some bleeding heart liberals may privately be disappointed that our moderate peace partner Mahmoud Abbas reaffirmed such a barbaric policy, which on previous occasions already resulted in the torture and murder of Palestinians alleged to have sold land to Jews. But they suggest that Abbas would abrogate such policies were they not so dear to the heart of his people, many of whom have been brainwashed by their imams into viewing Jews "as the descendants of apes and pigs." Besides, Abbas is currently enraged and condemning Israel for having killed a Hamas terrorist in Tulkarm, where the PA is supposedly responsible for security.

The question we are entitled to ask is this: How can President Obama and the US liberal establishment conceivably expect Israel to come to terms and reach a settlement with the "moderate" sector of Palestinian society, whose leaders not only celebrate the anniversaries of the monsters who butchered Jewish civilians, but are to this day prepared to boast to the world at large that they will execute anyone selling land to a Jew.

Just reflect on this. Mahmoud Abbas and the PA have reinforced a law which blatantly obliges the state to "kill anybody who sells a piece of land to a Jew."

And ask yourself the question. Can such leaders qualify as peace partners?

This column was originally published in the Jerusalem Post