As Israeli bombs fell on the Gaza Strip during its one-sided war between Dec. 27, 2008 and Jan. 18, 2009, millions around the world took to the streets in complete and uncompromising outrage. The level of barbarity in that war united people of every color, race and religion. But among those who seemed utterly unmoved were some Palestinian officials in the West Bank.
Mahmoud Habbash, the Palestinian Authority minister of social affairs was one of them. His appearances on Al Jazeera, during those fateful days were many — all for spewing political insults at his Hamas rivals in Gaza, repeating the same message so tirelessly parroted by his Israeli colleagues. Those who understand how the Oslo Accords of September 1993 morphed into a culture that destroyed the very fabric of Palestinian society can fully appreciate the behavior of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank during the Gaza war, before it and especially today.
Those who hoped that the Israeli atrocities in Gaza would change hearts in Ramallah were disappointed when the PA withdrew its draft resolution supporting recommendations made by South African Judge Richard Goldstone. The Goldstone Report is the most comprehensive investigation as of yet into what happened in Gaza during the 23-day war. It decried Israeli terror, and chastised Palestinians as well. But the focus on Israel undoubtedly and deservingly occupied much of the nearly 600-page report. The next step was for the Human Rights Council to send the report for consideration by the United Nations Security Council, which was to study the findings for a possible referral of the case to the International Criminal Court at The Hague. Such a move would have been historic. Hamas accepted the report’s recommendations in full. Israel, backed by its traditional US ally, rejected it.
The draft resolution — condemning Israel and calling for the transfer of the report to the UN Security Council — was due for a vote at the Council on Oct. 2. Alas, it was withdrawn at the behest of the Palestinian Authority and its President Mahmoud Abbas.
Something went horribly wrong. How could the leader of an occupied and suffering nation commit such a “mistake”, deferring an urgent vote and discussion on a report pertaining to the death of over 1,400 people, the maiming and wounding of thousands more, to a later date, six months from today?
Theories flared. Israeli and other media argued that US pressure on Abbas was the main reason. A positive vote on the resolution would jeopardize the “peace process”. Palestinians should forget the report for the sake of giving the “peace process” a chance.
Amira Hass of Haaretz opined, “The chronic submissiveness is always explained by a desire to ‘make progress.’ But for the PLO and Fatah, progress is the very continued existence of the Palestinian Authority, which is now functioning more than ever before as a subcontractor for the IDF, the Shin Bet security service and the Civil Administration.”
Jonathan Cook offered another view: “Israel warned it would renege on a commitment to allot radio frequencies to allow Wataniya, a mobile phone provider, to begin operations this month in the West Bank. The telecommunications industry is the bedrock of the Palestinian economy, with the current monopoly company, PalTel, accounting for half the worth of the Palestinian stock exchange.”
“No blood for mobile phones,” should perhaps be the new chant in Palestine. But the fact is the post-Oslo culture has espoused a class of contractors. These are businessmen who are either high-ranking officials in the PA and the Fatah party, or both, or closely affiliated with them. Much of the billions of dollars of international aid that poured into Palestine following the signing of Oslo Accords found its way into private bank accounts. Wealth generated more wealth and “export and import” companies sprung up like poison ivy amidst the poor dwelling of refugees throughout the occupied territories.
The PA became submissive out of fear that Israeli wrath would disrupt business, the flow of aid and thus contracts. And the PA officials abroad took Palestinian shame to international levels.
Blaming “American pressure” to explain Abbas’ decision at the UNHRC no longer suffices. Even the call on the 74-year-old Palestinian leader to quit is equally hollow. Abbas represents a culture, and that culture is self-seeking, self-serving and utterly corrupt.
Palestinians, who are now calling for change in PA, must consider the Oslo culture in its entirety, its “revolutionary” millionaires, its elites and contractors. A practical alternative to those corrupt must be quickly devised. The Israeli wall is encroaching on Palestinian towns and villages in the West Bank, and a new war might be awaiting besieged Gaza. Time is running out, and our collective shame is nearly complete.
— Ramzy Baroud (www.ramzybaroud.net) is an author and editor of PalestineChronicle.com.
