Ros-Lehtinen: Palestinians need to recognize Israel as ‘Jewish state’

A top House Republican says the U.S. should be conditioning aid to the Palestinians on their combating of violence and extremism and their recognition of Israel as a "Jewish state." Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), ranking GOP member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, says in a statement that the U.S. should demand that Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian Fatah political faction "reform their charter, renounce and combat violent extremism, stop using Israel-free maps, and recognize Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state."

“If they do not, the U.S. should condition assistance to the PA on such meaningful steps to embrace a real and lasting peace with Israel," said Ros-Lehtinen in a statement.

The full release is after the jump:[[READMORE]]

Ros-Lehtinen Calls for U.S. to Demand Palestinian Leaders End Anti-Israel Behavior and Support for Violent Islamist Extremism

(WASHINGTON) – U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, commented on the upcoming conference of the Fatah faction, headed by Palestinian Authority leader Abu Mazen.  Statement by Ros-Lehtinen:

“As Fatah prepares to hold its first meeting in two decades, senior Fatah leaders said last week that Fatah will continue to support violence to destroy the Jewish state of Israel.

“At every turn, Palestinian leaders have slapped away Israel’s outstretched hand and brandished a clenched fist.

“The U.S. should demand that Abu Mazen and Fatah reform their charter, renounce and combat violent extremism, stop using Israel-free maps, and recognize Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state.

“If they do not, the U.S. should condition assistance to the PA on such meaningful steps to embrace a real and lasting peace with Israel.”

Note: In the 110th Congress, Ros-Lehtinen cosponsored H. Res. 758, which urged Abu Mazen to “officially abrogate the 10 articles in the Fatah Constitution that call for Israel’s destruction and terrorism against Israel, oppose any political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and label Zionism as racism.” Ros-Lehtinen will visit Israel in August and meet with Israeli leaders to discuss the common threats facing the U.S. and Israel. 

Background: In early August, Fatah will hold its first conference in two decades.  Fatah’s charter is rife with anti-Israel, pro-violence provisions noting that “armed struggle is a strategy and not a tactic… and this struggle will not cease unless the Zionist state is demolished.”  Last week, a senior Fatah leader said that “Fatah does not recognize Israel’s right to exist, nor have we ever asked others [like Hamas] to do so…  All these reports about recognizing Israel are false… this will never happen.”