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The Palestinian "Return March" - A Futile Publicity Stunt

(Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs) Yoni Ben Menachem - The march of a mass of Palestinians toward the border with Israel is not a Palestinian invention. It was first tried by Hizbullah on Israel's northern border on Nakba Day, May 15, 2011, when several hundred Palestinians tried to cross the Lebanese and Syrian borders with Israel. The IDF soldiers at the border were taken by surprise and were compelled to open fire. Ten demonstrators were killed and another 100 injured. No country in the world would agree to tens of thousands of demonstrators infiltrating their borders and trying to get into their territory. Fatah sources in Gaza report that Hamas activists have even promised payment for those participating in these activities. According to these sources, Hamas is interested in provoking an escalation that will lead to many casualties on the Palestinian side in order to place the Palestinian issue firmly on the top of the world agenda. Even if Hamas succeeds in attracting media attention, this move will have no political benefit. The State of Israel will not destroy its own national identity by absorbing seven million Palestinians within its boundaries as they demand. If anything, seeing tens of thousands of Palestinians marching to the Gaza border will only frighten the Israeli public and discourage any attempt to resolve the refugee issue. In the end, the Palestinians will understand that this is a pointless exercise. Even if Hamas makes a huge media impact with its "return march," within a few weeks it will disappear into oblivion. The writer is a veteran Arab affairs commentator for Israel Radio and Television.
2018-03-30 00:00:00
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