Political crises are nothing new to the Palestinians. Power struggles between president and prime minister, threats of no-confidence votes in Parliament, of threatened and actual prime ministerial resignations were a regular feature of political life, especially in Yasser Arafat’s final years in office. Played out in public as these rows inevitably were and against a backdrop of accusations of institutional corruption, they did massive damage to the Palestinian cause. The image they conveyed was of chronic division and a leadership more interested in power, privilege and bickering among itself than in achieving justice for the Palestinian people.
It is on display once more. Just as a possible settlement hovers into view, when even Ariel Sharon and President George Bush seem committed to a deal, when the Palestinians themselves were just beginning to believe that a new dawn might actually be on the horizon, another row among their leaders threatens to blow away Palestinian unity, and with it Palestinian strength.
The row in Parliament over Prime Minister Ahmed Qorei’s proposed Cabinet, forcing him to scrap it and plan a fresh team, is the last thing that the Palestinians need at this point in the proceedings. It was a grave mistake and one that Qorei will live to regret.
He knew that allegations of corruption and incompetence had tainted the image of many of the old guard. He knew that Palestinians saw the post-Arafat era as not only a chance to make peace with the Israelis but also to ring in the changes in the Palestinian Authority — to reform it and bring new faces into government. He failed to do so. His list of 24 ministers included just four new names.
To be forced into the humiliating position of changing his team is extremely unfortunate for Qorei. He has started out on the wrong foot and it will be an uphill struggle to salvage his reputation. The accusation that he was out of touch, that he did not understand the Palestinians’ expectations of a new start or, worse, that he ignored them is likely to talk him as long as he remains prime minister. His every action will now be subject to intense scrutiny and criticism. Already there is talk of him being toppled in a future no-confidence vote. It would not be the first occasion that he has been threatened with such a vote but last time Arafat was there to save him. No longer. Nor does he have the charisma, the authority or the unique status that protected Arafat when he became the reformers’ target.
Some will draw encouragement from this spat, saying that parliament’s refusal to act as a rubber stamp proves its political maturity. That is in part true, but what the Palestinians need at this critical point is unity and sound leadership. In any event, the humiliation of Qorei was as much about splits in the ruling Fatah Party between the privileged old guard and power-hungry reformers, as it was about parliament flexing its muscles. But this is no time for divisions within Fatah, divisions that could result in a bloody split. For 56 years, Palestinians had dreamed of statehood and peace. It is closer to reality than ever before. But winning that precious prize depends on unity and unswerving commitment. Incompetence and rivalry will blow it away. The only winners will be the Israelis.
