Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas welcomes released Palestinian prisoners in Ramallah on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2013. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)
(CNSNews.com) – Secretary of State John Kerry and a State Department spokeswoman on Thursday both sidestepped opportunities to criticize the warm reception Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas gave to a group of prisoners, most convicted of murder, freed by Israel this week as part of U.S.-brokered peace negotiations.
Arriving in Jerusalem on his tenth visit aimed at prodding peace talks, Kerry listened with apparent discomfort as Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu during a joint media appearance questioned Abbas’ commitment to peace.
“To glorify the murders of innocent women and men as heroes is an outrage,” Netanyahu said. “How can he [Abbas] say that he stands against terrorism when he embraces the perpetrators of terrorism and glorifies them as heroes?”
“I’m wondering what a young Palestinian would think when he sees the leader of the Palestinian people embrace people who axed innocent men and women – axed their heads or blew them up or riddled them with bullets – what’s a young Palestinian supposed to think about the future?” he continued. “What’s he supposed to think about what he should do vis-a-vis Israelis and vis-a-vis the state of Israel?”
Netanyahu then accused Abbas of refraining from condemning recent terrorist attacks in Israel, even though in at least one case the attackers included P.A. security officials. He pointed to anti-Israel incitement in P.A.-controlled media and school textbooks, charging that “instead of preparing Palestinians for peace, Palestinian leaders are teaching them to hate Israel.”
Netanyahu said Israelis were prepared to make peace, “but we must have a Palestinian partner who’s equally prepared to make this peace. Peace means ending incitement; it means fighting terrorism and condemning terrorism.”
When it was Kerry’s turn to speak he did so for about 12 minutes – more than twice as long as the Israeli leader – but only alluded to what Netanyahu had said about Abbas’ reception for the released prisoners and incitement in general.
He mentioned “the difficulties that the prime minister has just referred to” and “the difficulties that the prime minister has cited – and they are real,” but did not comment on the substance of “the difficulties,” nor condemn them.
Kerry did praise Netanyahu for following through on the “very difficult decision” despite strong objections from some Israelis.
Having commended Netanyahu, he immediately also commended Abbas, “who also has been under pressure,” since many Palestinians say he should not bother going ahead with the talks.
“Peace is possible today, I believe, because the leaders – Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Abbas – have both each taken significant steps for peace notwithstanding the difficulties that the prime minister has cited – and they are real. But still we are on this track, and I believe that they are both willing to take more.”
‘I just don’t think I have further comment on this issue’
When Israel and the P.A. agreed last July to resume U.S.-brokered talks over a nine-month period, Netanyahu pledged to free 104 long-term Palestinian prisoners in four batches, the third of which took place this week. Abbas’ reciprocal concession was to agree that the P.A. over that nine-month period would not return to the United Nations to seek to upgrade its status.
At a press briefing in Washington, State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf was asked about Netanyahu’s comments alongside Kerry.
She acknowledged that “the release of prisoners has every time been a bit of a difficult process,” called the decision to free them “courageous,” but said Kerry was “focused on where we go from here.”
Asked whether the administration shared Netanyahu’s “unhappiness at the reception” Abbas had given the freed men, Harf replied, “I think I’ll let the prime minister’s words speak for himself.”
A reporter pressed the issue, “But I mean, do you not take exception to the fact that these people, because it is so sensitive, that the Palestinians received these people as heroes returning home?”
“I just don’t think I have further comment on this issue,” Harf said.
She also said people on both sides had “shown courage, including President Abbas.”
“We’ve said, for example, by not going to the U.N., we think that’s a positive thing that’s been part of the negotiations. We certainly believe there are partners for peace on both sides.”
Asked how the P.A. decision not to pursue recognition at the U.N. showed courage, Harf said, “Well, I think broadly speaking, there are voices on both sides pressing their leaders to either not be a part of a process, to try to stymie the process, and each of them have taken steps, quite frankly, to stay at the negotiating table even though politically it’s often very hard for them.”
‘Heroes’
Of the 26 prisoners freed in the early hours of Tuesday morning, apart from two convicted of attempted murder and one of aggravated assault all were serving lengthy or life prison terms for murder.
Their victims – stabbed, axed, shot, strangled or battered to death with rocks – included Israeli men and women aged between 20 and 76, as well as Israeli Arabs and Palestinians accused of “collaborating” with Israel.
Two of those freed had repeatedly stabbed a mother of seven and left a note by her body saying more attacks would follow until Palestinian refugees were allowed to return. Another shot dead an Israeli and killed five Palestinians accused of “collaborating,” at least one of whom was beaten to death. Another was serving 16 life sentences, for the murder of one Israeli and 15 Arabs suspected of “collaborating.”
In Ramallah, Abbas waited up after midnight with a celebrating crowd to greet 18 of the prisoners who returned there (others were released in Jerusalem and Gaza). He embraced them, praised them as “heroes,” and promised the crowd that there would be further releases of more “heroes” very soon.