When President George Bush got Ariel Sharon and Mahmoud Abbas to shake hands on the road map earlier this month, there was a tacit understanding that Israel would hold back from retaliating against attacks to give Abbas time to reorganize his security forces and negotiate a cease-fire. Bush recently gave Israel a rare public rebuke after its forces tried unsuccessfully to assassinate one of Hamas’ leaders, Abdul Aziz Al-Rantissi. Bush’s rebuke seemed to reflect his annoyance that, by targeting one of Hamas’ political leaders, Israel risked destroying the peace process.
An agreement with Israel on assassinations had appeared possible. Under the plan, Israel would inform Palestinian security about possible suicide attackers and Palestinian officials would be expected to arrest the suspects. To show how serious they are about following through on the scheme, Palestinians had requested that US officials act as a third party to ensure the information is properly delivered and acted upon. But the Israeli government has publicly refused to renounce assassinations — a condition that activist groups such as Hamas have set for agreeing to a cease-fire. Without a truce, a reported pullout of Israeli forces from Gaza will be difficult to achieve. Predictions of an agreement are being offered in relatively large heaps. Powell said an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza “would be a very, very powerful and important first step. After that, the people of Gaza can see life return to the strip and their own authority in charge,” which, he said, “would give them confidence that organizations such as Hamas perhaps do not have the right answer.”
But where, indeed, is the right answer? A Gaza withdrawal could easily be thwarted by a variety of difficult issues, particularly Israel’s desire to protect 8,000 Israeli settlers living in Gaza. Israeli officials also insist on maintaining control over two checkpoints on the main road to provide security for settlers. Palestinians said that if Israel reimposed roadblocks in response to a security problem, it would quickly divide Gaza into three parts, cutting off the flow of Palestinian goods and commerce necessary to restore economic life in Gaza. The Israeli government has proposed a bypass, which would destroy Palestinian homes, as one solution. Palestinians have countered by offering joint patrols, joint inspections, security coordination and camera surveillance.
Israeli officials have made clear that the Palestinian Authority would have only limited time to prove it can handle security concerns, with one Israeli official saying the Palestinians must rapidly take on Hamas. But apparently Israel is taking that task upon itself — to the detriment of peace.
