Thread by @muhammadshehad2

Quick 🧵on how #Israel reacted when the Palestinian leadership recognized its right to exist, accepted a 2-state-solution & renounced violence in 1988:

Israel's gov went into full panic mood; rejected the statement; tried to bury the news; & pressed the US to deny Arafat a visa

2\ Israel's Prime Minister Rabin immediately rejected Arafat's move deeming it "crazy & dangerous." He vowed that Israel "will never permit the creation of an independent Palestinian state in the occupied territories."

Defense Minister pledged to use “an iron fist” to crush it.

3\ Israeli journalist, David Grossman, was sacked for refusing to bury the news that the PLO accepted peace!

"They were so nasty to me. It was a little scary. I found myself in the middle of this very public affair, my name on the front pages. It was talked about in the Knesset"

4\ Israel's Foreign Ministry activated a damage control team & indicated "high-level concern" that the PLO was becoming moderate & accepted internationally.

They saw the PLO's acceptance of peace & the 2-state solution as a threat to their control over the occupied territories!

5\ Israel's gov & US legacy Jewish organizations bashed American Jews who met with Arafat to build on the PLO's peace offering & acceptance of Israel.

Morris B. Abram, chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, called them ″willing dupes of the PLO″!

6\ As a result of pressure, the US denied the PLO's Yassir Arafat a visa to address the UN General Assembly about his acceptance of peace & unilateral unrequited recognition of Israel's right to exist, & renouncing of violence.

"No partner for peace," they say!?!

7\ The PLO's Arafat even recognized Israel as a Jewish state back then, despite the grave risk it entailed to his popularity of making a unilateral unrequited compromise.

PM Shamir flatly rejected that peace offering!