US Secretary of State Colin Powell has agreed to Sharon’s suggestion for a regional conference to discuss the Mideast crisis. The purpose, it was announced, is to work out a new reconciliation plan for the Arab-Israeli conflict. Sharon wants the conference to take place under the patronage of the US with Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Morocco as participants on behalf of the Palestinian people.
Sharon proposal only betrays the arrogance of Israel and its dirty game in the Middle East. The plan seeks to destroy the efforts of the past ten years and to do away with recommendations of the Madrid conference for peace in the Middle East. In other words, peace negotiations would have to restart from zero and involve the Arab countries in a lengthy process that may take another ten years or so. Wasting or saving time is one of Israel’s way of continuing with its expansionist policies in the occupied territories. Israel also wants to reduce or marginalize the Palestinian role in negotiations to the minimum.
Israel would do everything to prevent the emergence of a Palestinian state. If at all it becomes reality, Israel would see that the nascent state would not be able to function normally. The new state’s political and economic base will be very weak, infrastructure inadequate, and the people desperate and weak.
The Arab objections to the conference came with the justifiable demand that Israel adhere to the pledges and accords it signed with Palestinians in the presence of the international community.
It is obvious that Powell’s concurrence with Sharon’s idea indicates a similarity in the US-Israeli thinking as to the tools, methods and mechanisms to be used or adopted in handling the Palestinian issue. For instance, the sources in the US State Department reveal that the Bush administration is studying proposals and ideas for a final settlement of the conflict. These include the creation of a Palestinian state, turning over settlements built in Gaza Strip to the Palestinian control, deploying US observers in the region and an international fund to help the new Palestinian state to build its infrastructure.
The US experts say that the existing contradictions in US approach are natural. On the one hand, the US "understands" whatever Sharon does against the Palestinians, on the other it seeks to persuade Sharon to agree to a final settlement with the Palestinians. The US sees Arafat as the leader the Israelis should negotiate with, but it looks forward to a new generation of moderate Palestinian leaders who have the ability to survive and understand the changes.
Hence, no objection to an international conference that will have all the Arab countries as well as Arafat as the legitimate leader and representative of the Palestinians. In addition, Russia, China and European countries will also be represented. The conference agenda should include plans for a final settlement of the conflict, demarcation of international boarders as agreed by the international community.
Israel should respond to such demands as are in harmony with the UN resolutions. A regional conference as suggested by Sharon will only serve the interests of Israel. It will not serve the interests of peace and as such one is at a loss to know why Colin Powell rushed to endorse such an exercise in futility.
