Israeli officials expose peace-seeking rhetoric as fake

This column on how the Abraham Accords have exposed Israels hypocritical policies on peace was originally published at Arab News on Sept. 15, 2021

By Ray Hanania

A year after the Abraham Accords were signed, Israel has completely turned its back on peace with the Palestinians, making one wonder if it is truly capable of embracing genuine peace. Or is Tel Aviv merely using talk of peace as a means of getting what it wants?

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz last month met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in what many saw as a potential end to the long stalemate fueled by the arrogant obstinacy of the former Israeli government headed by the criminally indicted Benjamin Netanyahu. It was — remarkably for a country that claims to desire genuine peace — the first meeting in many years between Palestinians and Israelis. So it was truly significant.

But the illusion of peace meticulously crafted by Israel was this week shattered by the typically hate-driven rhetoric of anti-Arab official Ayelet Shaked, who is now serving as interior minister under Netanyahu’s successor, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. Shaked and Bennett, long-time right-wing allies, have launched a campaign to demonize the Palestinians and Abbas in particular.

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Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster at The Arab Daily News

Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

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Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

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