The centrality of the Palestinian question to world peace, seems to make it imperative for political pundits almost everywhere to dive in and give their opinion. Unfortunately, most of the opinions and comments regarding the possibility of arriving at a peaceful solution to the Palestinian Israel conflict in 2008 are pessimistic. One of the reasons behind the pessimism, no doubt, is the long bloody history of the conflict, and the failure so far of all previously made initiative to solve it.
Tuesday was one of those heavy days that illustrates why the peace process is not moving forward. On this day, Israel launched a devastating attack on Gaza, which left at least 19 Palestinians dead and more than 50 injured. The population of Gaza, already under a crippling siege, is also subject to the continuous fear of Israeli tanks and airplanes mercilessly bombarding their towns and villages. The severity of the Israeli attacks on the people of Gaza reverberates through the spine of every Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim all over the world. Also on this day, Tuesday, Israel began constructing a new Jewish settlement in Arab East Jerusalem in the neighborhood of Ras El-Amoud in Silwan. Earlier this month, tenders to construct more Jewish settlements and approval plans for others were announced by the Israeli government.
These are two examples of Israel’s aggressive and criminal behavior in the occupied Palestinian territory. They clearly show Israel’s disrespect for human dignity, its continuing violations of Palestinian rights, its snub and rejection of United Nations resolutions, and its abuse of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
The collective Israeli lot is deliberately and obscurely confusing, with contradictory political statements coming from each and every direction of Israel’s political spectrum. Ministers in the Olmert government issue statements opposed to the declared policies of their prime minister. For example, Israel’s Housing Minister does not obey the orders/directives of his boss, and so-called junior staff at the Housing Ministry issue settlement construction tenders for “Har Homa” without referring to their respective minister. Ministers in the ruling Kadima Party with leadership ambitions to succeed or replace Olmert, are not deterred from stating positions contrary to those of the prime minister if they feel their chances for assuming leadership will improve. The Israeli military, which historically had a free hand on issues concerning Israel’s security, and in particular safeguarding and protecting Jewish settlers and settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, in addition to its role in quashing Palestinian resistance peaceful or otherwise, is totally a different kettle of fish, and cannot be surpassed.
Not even one checkpoint of the more than 573 Israeli checkpoints choking the Palestinian territory economically, socially, and in every other sense of the word can be moved without the consent of the Israeli military. The Israeli political echelon appears to have a very limited say on this matter. Israel’s prime minister, who keeps making statements, the last of which was on how disgraceful the so-called outpost settlements are, did not honor his word given to the Americans, promising them to dismantle these outposts.
The religious parties, particularly the Shas Party, who is a member of the coalition government, keeps threatening to bolt the government if Jerusalem is placed on the negotiating table. The almost all-Russian “Israeli Beitinu” Party with Avigdor Lieberman (ex-night club bouncer-promoted to general manager of the prime minister’s office under Netanyahu) at its head, fares no better, and is anticipated to leave Olmert’s government soon.
For their part, the right wing Israeli media over the last few months never stopped attacking Ehud Olmert for listening to President Bush and agreeing to talk with President Mahmoud Abbas. Even President Bush was not spared harsh criticism for what they term his change of policy on “Jihadist terrorism.”
Is it any wonder therefore that a majority of people in our region and around the world are not optimistic about a successful conclusion for the current Palestinian Israeli peace talks. Under the circumstances, one question remains: Can a so-called lame duck president at the White House deliver peace and realize his two state vision? The answer is, if the American president has the will and determination, he can do it. The impediment to peace making is the Israeli occupation, the settlements and the 8-meter high concrete apartheid wall Israel is building in the occupied Palestinian territory. Violence and resistance are a byproduct. End the occupation, remove settlers from the Palestinians’ midst, dismantle the wall, and delineate borders, then peace will be achieved.
— Walid M. Awad is a member of the Central Media Commission in Ramallah.
