By their own admissions, Israel’s Arab neighbors seek to destroy the Jewish nation and annihilate its people. In light of this reality, the Arab world’s recognition of the State of Israel’s essential Jewish nature remains unlikely.

While most of Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas’ media statements in the past few days reveal nothing new, his declaration that the PA will never recognize the Jewishness of the State of Israel or “give up one inch of [pre-1967 border land]” are particularly troubling. His further comments that he has evidence that “Hamas and Israel are conducting negotiations” also point to tensions between the two Palestinian factions that predate Gaza’s war on Israel last summer.

In fact, Abbas’ statement may be a major indication that the Hamas-Fatah Unity government is in trouble. In a previous interview with Arab media, Abbas claimed that not only is Hamas virtually in charge of Gaza, but that Hamas has been holding secret negotiations behind the PA’s back.

Abbas’ claim that the PA will never recognize the Jewishness of the State of Israel is part of his admission that the two-state solution is all but dead.  This statement is also a complete about-face for Abbas, who in 2006 made the recognition of the State of Israel a prerequisite for forming a national Hamas-Fatah coalition government.

The fact that Abbas is claiming that Israel and Hamas have “secret agreements” may be his last-ditch effort to stay relevant in the political process.

Is Peace Possible With Those Who Deny Our Existence?

Speaking to the media in South Africa, Abbas implied that there cannot be peace if Israel passes the Jewish State Law, which is still making its way through the Knesset.  The refusal to recognize the Jewishness of the State of Israel indicates that the mere existence of a Jewish State remains a fundamental ideological issue driving the PA’s actions in Israel.

While Abbas says that recognizing Israel as a Jewish state is akin to creating an apartheid state and fostering racism, not once has the PA indicated that a future Palestinian state would offer equal rights to anyone other than Palestinians. There has certainly been no indication that a Palestinian state would allow Jews to live within it.

If the current condition in PA-controlled areas in Israel is any indication, there are no plans to change the status quo. Today, one can find at the entrance to every Arab village in Judea and Samaria, large signs prohibiting Israeli citizens from entering those areas.

The mere existence of anything Jewish is problematic for the PA, not because it denies Arabs in Israel equal rights, but because of something far more fundamental. The objection is borne out of pure anti-Semitism, which predates the establishment of the modern state of Israel.

Recognition of the State of Israel’s Jewishness flies in the face of the thinly -veiled ultimate goal of all of the Arab states surrounding Israel – the destruction of Israel and the annihilation of the Jewish people. In fact, in 2011, then Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made the public statement that the creation of a “Palestinian state” is only the first step in the destruction of Israel.

The very thing that Abbas is claiming that the Palestinians have a right to – self-determination – is the very thing he would deny the Jewish people. If Israel is not the Jewish National Home – what is?

What YOU Can Do to Help

The PA is funded by the US and the European Union, a practice we MUST end. Click here to sign our petition demanding that the United States and European Union stop funding the Palestinian Authority.

Author: Penina Taylor, United with Israel