Kerry's Peace Process Double Standards
by Khaled Abu Toameh
Gatestone Institute January 16, 2014 at 5:00 am
http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/4133/kerry-yaalon-double-standards

It is interesting how one comment from an Israeli minister has managed to
strain relations between the U.S. Administration and Israel, while fiery
rhetoric and street demonstrations against Kerry and Obama in the
Palestinian territories and Arab capitals are completely ignored by
Washington.

The U.S. Administration has reacted quickly and strongly to statements
attributed to Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon. Ya'alon was quoted by
the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronot as describing U.S. Secretary of State John
Kerry as "messianic and obsessive."

In response, the U.S. condemned Ya'alon's comments as "offensive and
inappropriate."

But while the U.S. Administration has been quick in issuing a response to
the Israeli minister's statements, it continues to ignore remarks and
demonstrations against Kerry made by Palestinians and other Arabs.

Palestinian officials representing various organizations, including the
Palestinian Authority, have been denouncing Kerry almost on a daily basis
over the past few weeks. But these condemnations do not seem to bother the
State Department.

Among the officials who have been extremely critical of Kerry's role in the
current Israeli-Palestinian peace talks is Yasser Abed Rabbo, the PLO's
Secretary-General and one of the closest advisors to Palestinian Authority
President Mahmoud Abbas.

Just last month, Abed Rabbo launched a scathing attack on Kerry, denouncing
his latest proposals as unacceptable. "Kerry does not have the right to
decide where our borders will be," the top PLO official said. "If the U.S.
wants, it can give parts of California or Washington to Israel. Kerry's
framework agreement is very dangerous."

Abed Rabbo has also accused Kerry of seeking to "appease Israel by
fulfilling its expansionist demands in the Jordan Valley under the pretext
of security. He wants to buy Israeli silence over the Iran deal (with the
six big powers)."

Palestinian officials have also been leaking details about Kerry's latest
proposals for reaching an agreement between Israel and the Palestinian
Authority. Some have gone as far as accusing Kerry of being biased in favor
of Israel, working toward "liquidating" the Palestinian cause and trying to
extort the Palestinians.

Tayseer Khaled, member of the PLO Executive Committee, was recently quoted
as accusing Kerry of trying to extort the Palestinians politically. Khaled's
allegations have since been repeated by other Palestinians.

In addition, anti-Kerry demonstrations have become a common phenomenon in
Ramallah and other Palestinian cities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. At
some of these protests, Kerry is often condemned as a pawn in the hands of
Israel.

At another protest in Ramallah, Palestinians chanted, "Oh Kerry, you coward,
you have no room in Palestine."

In Bethlehem several weeks ago, Palestinians took to the streets to protest
against Kerry's visit to the city. And when President Barack Obama visited
Bethlehem last year, Palestinians hurled shoes at his portrait and chanted,
and set fire to his photograph.

Anti-Kerry protests have also taken place in Egypt and Jordan, where
protesters also torched his portrait and declared him persona non grata.

Why, then, Kerry is not just as offended by the Arab condemnations?

It is interesting to see how one comment from an Israeli minister has
managed to strain relations between the U.S. Administration and Israel,
while fiery rhetoric and street demonstrations against Kerry and Obama in
the Palestinian territories and Arab capitals are completely ignored by
Washington. If Kerry really cares about the peace process, he also needs to
ask the Palestinian Authority and Arab governments to lower the tone and
stop inciting against him and the U.S. Unless, of course, those statements
and protests do not offend him.