Photo: From idf.il website
On February 19, 2024, Israel’s Defense and Security Forum sent a letter to the President of the United States, Joe Biden, regarding recent publications on the intention to offer recognition of a Palestinian state as part of imposing political solutions on Israel. The letter was covered extensively in the American media. Here is the full letter, please see the PDF for the original paper with the signatures.
Dear President Biden,
The Israel Defense and Security Forum (IDSF), a 20,000 member-strong Israeli grassroots movement led by retired and reserve senior military, intelligence and security officers, turns to you with the utmost concern over credible media reports concerning an imminent drive to recognize a Palestinian state. While we appreciate that your motivations are focused on achieving a lasting peace, IDSF believes that this approach will unfortunately achieve exactly the opposite. The establishment of a Palestinian state as proposed, is a direct threat to the existence of the State of Israel.
The recognition of a Palestinian state in the immediate aftermath of the October 7th massacre will be interpreted by Hamas, global terrorist organizations, Iran and other rogue states as a reward for violence, and will encourage them to view terrorism as an effective mechanism to achieve political goals. Israel has followed this reckless dynamic in the past, by agreeing to the Oslo Accords following the First Intifada and carrying out the Disengagement from Gaza following the Second Intifada. We learned how the appetite only grows with concessions, and how this threatens Israel and the rest of the free world.
Despite your Administration’s acknowledgement of the need for a reformed Palestinian Authority (PA), IDSF has seen no evidence to believe that the PA is interested in reforming. The PA by its own actions, statements, and orientation remains a threat to the State of Israel as laid out in IDSF’s position paper
Its continued policy of “Pay to Slay,” doling out $370 Million annually to acknowledged terrorists, despite the Taylor Force Act, demonstrates its continued support for violence against Israeli civilians. Its education system is replete with anti-Semitic content and teaches children that murdering Jews is a desirable objective that will help achieve Palestinian national aspirations. The PA continues to delegitimize Israel’s right to exist as the state of the Jewish people.
The Palestinian Authority has refused to condemn the October 7th attack, and supports the same inciteful, antisemitic propaganda that inspired the attack. It will be paying out more than $2.7 million monthly to the perpetrators of October 7th.
The PA supports terrorism. Since October 7th the IDF has arrested more than 3,000 terrorists, and has uncovered immense military infrastructure in areas controlled by the PA whose purpose was to attack Israel. The PA allowed this to happen under its watch, if not with its active support.
The PA has declared that it considers Hamas a legitimate organization that should take part in the Palestinian political scene. The likely result would mean that a Palestinian state will be ruled by Hamas which is much more popular than Fatah.
The suggestion that Israel should entertain international security guarantees cannot be taken as a serious proposal. Israel is already engaged in one war, where international pressure did not protect Israeli security despite vacating the Gaza Strip; and Israel is trying to prevent another war on its northern border, due to the failure of the international community to enforce UN Resolution 1701. Only Israel can defend itself, invigorated by the strategic alliance with the United States.
IDSF is a movement oriented towards seeking peace and security for the State of Israel. As leaders who have fought and bled for our country, we desire nothing more than for the conflict to be resolved. However, wishing it away by decreeing a Palestinian State will only lead to the emboldening of our enemies and the expansion of the conflict.
On October 10, 2023 you declared, “For 75 years, Israel has stood as the ultimate guarantor of security of Jewish people around the world so that the atrocities of the past could never happen again.”
And it is for that exact reason that following the October 7th massacre, we must oppose any proposal to recognize a Palestinian state.
Sincerely,
Israel’s Defense and Security Forum, IDSF–Habithonistim
On behalf of the IDSF’s 20,000 members
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