In the week marking the 30th anniversary of the Oslo Accords, news arrived about "strengthening the Palestinian Authority." Headlines were published about weapons, armored vehicles, and even cyber warfare and espionage weapons, which were transferred from the Americans directly to the PA with Israel's approval.
The Oslo Accords in all their glory floated, and history took on a form, too topical. So, we stood and shouted, "Don't give them guns," but Rabin and Peres gave them. The same guns later murdered our neighbors and friends, were pointed at IDF soldiers and abandoned us all. The concept that if we only strengthen the PA, it will do the dirty work for us and fight terrorism has not only sunk in, but has bled down.
For years we have been teased, "If Oslo was so bad, cancel it," and for years we have explained, intelligently and truthfully, that just as it is impossible to return an omelet to be an egg, so it is impossible to cancel agreements signed with international guarantees with a wave of the hand. But it is certainly possible not to return to them, to the concepts and destructive measures. Yes, to strive for a different policy that thinks differently and behaves differently, and does not strengthen or trust our greatest haters.
Following the public and coalition uproar, Defense Minister Galant and Prime Minister Netanyahu were quick to issue vigorous denials: "This government did not transfer any weapons to the PA," Netanyahu said, "I did not approve and did not transfer weapons or lethal weapons to the PA," Galant wrote. Both pointed the finger at former Defense Minister Benny Gantz and the decision he made in January 2022 to transfer armored vehicles to the PA.
If that's the reality, for now you can relax. I was skeptical at first, admittedly, but the initial headlines seemed less accurate. No weapons were transferred, no cyber or espionage weapons were transferred, and indeed several armored vehicles were transferred, according to a previous decision by Gantz. But the warning lights came on.
Tzachi Hanegbi, head of the National Security Council, leads a very conciliatory and sympathetic line vis-à-vis the PA. He makes it difficult to forfeit terrorist funds, and in closed conversations, it was reported, made it clear that there was no point in opposing the transfer of armored vehicles and weapons, and claimed that a different approach is outdated and detached from what is happening
Tzachi Hanegbi, head of the National Security Council, leads a very conciliatory and sympathetic line vis-à-vis the PA. He makes it difficult to forfeit terrorist funds, and in closed conversations, it was reported, made it clear that there was no point in opposing the transfer of armored vehicles and weapons, and claimed that a different approach is outdated and detached from what is happening. Well, this approach is not outdated, and it is certainly not disconnected from what is happening, nor from history so close.
Don't you dare give us back Oslo, after we managed to overcome it, to rehabilitate after it, to try to recover from it despite everything. Don't give them guns, don't give technological means, and please learn from history. Even today, Palestinian policemen are involved in terrorist acts, so to inject weapons at them? Any weapons transferred to the PA will be directed at us very quickly.
And above all there is the question: Is this progress? In the efforts to reach a peace agreement with Saudi Arabia, will we be required to take such steps, and even beyond? If so, a clear boundary must be drawn now. It's just not worth it. Netanyahu, the man who succeeded in breaking the paradigms that have been brainwashing us for years, who crushed "land for peace" and who single-handedly brought "peace for peace," must insist on the national interest: not to give in to pressure that demands to strengthen the PA, but to stick to the new Middle East he started – not the fake one of the '90s.
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