Arutz-7, December 12, 2005.

Note of Likud of Holland: the disarming of terrorists is the main and first
obligation of the Palestinians in the Roadmap (as was already the case in the
Oslo treaties). The Roadmap promises them even a State as a result in the end,
but they clearly do not want to take the necessary action …

Palestinian Authority official Nasser Al-Kidwa told an Arabic-language London
newspaper, “There is no such thing as ‘disarming’, nor will there be.”

Repeating the position expressed in many variations by PA officials in recent
months, Al-Kidwa, responsible for the foreign relations of the PA, told Al-Hayat
this week that the only step that would be taken is an “organization of arms”
by agreement among all PA terrorist groups. The PA position on the matter
would not change, Al-Kidwa declared, until “the Palestinian situation changes
entirely.”

In that regard, Al-Kidwa blamed Israel for the security situation in the PA,
saying, “The Palestinians are still under Israeli occupation.” The PA militias and
police, he claimed, are in disarray and short of basic military supplies and
training facilities due to Israeli policies.

In June of this year, Al-Kidwa told Reuters News Agency that the PA would not
disarm “militants” until Israel totally withdraws to the pre-1967 borders. At the
time, Al-Kidwa said his position “is based on international law and on a deep
understanding of our responsibilities according to the Road Map, and I will not
retract my words.” PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, known as Abu Mazen, has
never distanced himself from Al-Kidwa’s remarks.

While the PA officially declares its desire to return to negotiations with Israel,
the repeated statements by PA officials that they will not confront terrorists in
their jurisdiction indicate a more pressing desire to collaborate with the Islamist
groups.

To that end, the PA has arranged for the Hamas terrorist organization to
take part in upcoming parliamentary elections, has refrained from laying hands
on Islamist terrorists (despite declarations to do so) and is granting monthly
stipends to families of dead terrorists. In addition, public memorials and honors
for terrorist leaders continue in the PA school system and in cultural venues.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has declared that the next step towards Road Map
negotiations with the PA is the disarming of terrorist groups and the dismantling
of the terror infrastructure.

On Monday, White House spokesman Fredrick Jones similarly released a
statement calling upon the PA to disarm terrorists and dismantle the terrorist
infrastructure operating in the PA. Jones stated that the suicide bombing in
Netanya was yet more proof of the need to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure
to prevent future attacks.

In the Al-Hayat interview, Al-Kidwa also expressed support for permitting the
PA candidacy of terrorist leader Marwan Barghouti, imprisoned for life in Israel
on murder charges and for masterminding Fatah terrorist attacks.

Barghouti received more than 90 percent support in recent Fatah
primaries, held with an eye towards the planned January elections for the PA
parliament. Al-Kidwa called upon the PA to exert more pressure on Israel to
release Barghouti and all other imprisoned Arab terrorists.

More generally, Al-Kidwa, who is a nephew of the late PLO leader Yasser
Arafat, supports the political participation of the younger generation of Fatah,
many of whom are leaders in the terrorist Al-Aksa Martyrs Brigades. The rise of
a younger leadership, Al-Kidwa said, “is a natural thing, and the door must
open before it, for there is plenty of room for the new generation to take up
positions like any other political force.”