The Next Path for Israel/Palestine

[Wordie]

The Next Path for Israel/Palestine
1/15/2006 6:10:00 PM GMT

By: Remi Kanazi

...Similarly, a new choice must emerge in the Occupied Territories. The Palestinian Authority, led by Fatah, is an ineffective representative of the Palestinian people. Regrettably, Abu Mazen is not interested in what’s best for the Palestinians. He has been too busy juggling the interests of America and Israel to realize that, first and foremost, he is the representative of the Palestinian people. Appeasement and consolidating political power will bring Palestinians nowhere. It will not rebuild their schools, pave their roads, or feed their children. And it will surely not end the occupation that has plagued their lives for the last 38 years.

The election of HAMAS may shake out the corruption of Fatah as well as positively affect the social aspects of Palestinian society and the essential rebuilding process. Nevertheless, HAMAS is not the answer. Palestinians must drive on democratic principals (not western democratic principals), as the late Edward Said said, by implementing “a concept of citizenship whereby every individual has the same citizen’s rights, based not on race or religion, but on equal justice for each person guaranteed by a constitution.”

Two important lists are running on independent tickets. The first is the Third Way, which, albeit headed by Salam Fayyad, includes long time PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organization) spokeswoman and secretary-general of MIFTAH (The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy) Hanan Ashrawi. An ardent subscriber of Palestinian rights, equality and the spread of democracy, Ashrawi is a tough and dedicated candidate for the Palestinian people. The Christian Science Monitor quoted Ashrawi, “We're using the elections as a launching pad. This is a group of people who are likeminded, who want good governance, peacemaking, and democracy to be part of the vision.” The ticket under which she is running received 5.5 percent support under a recent Palestinian poll conducted by An Najah National University: The Center for Opinion Polls and Survey Studies. Ashrawi is known in international circles as an intelligent, articulate spokesman for the Palestinian people.

The other ticket that has come forth is Independent Palestine led by Mustafa Al Barghouti. Running second to Abu Mazen in the presidential election last year, Barghouti is a longtime grassroots activist and writer. He co-founded the Palestinian National Initiative with Dr. Haidar Abdel-Shafi, Mr. Ibrahim Dakak and the late Edward Said. In the An Najah University poll Independent Palestine garnered 10.4 percent of the vote.

In an article entitled The Truth You Don’t Hear Barghouti wrote, “Our demand is for an international peace conference where resolution to the conflict would be returned to its basis in international law, and where the ICJ advisory ruling would be addressed.” Barghouti further stated, “The Palestinians deserve to be freed from the long-term suffering they have endured through 600 years of foreign rule, 58 years of dispossession and 38 years of a military occupation that has become the longest in modern history.” Rejecting colonial rule in return for negotiations and non-violent activism is concept that both Barghouti and Ashrawi promote.

http://www.aljazeera.com/me.asp?service_ID=10455

Please note that this is a fairly long and meaty article that also discusses the candidates for the Israeli elections. It seemed to me that to try to include the author's observations about both Israel and Palestinian candidates would ultimately result in doing justice to neither, so I have included only (a part of) the discussion of the Palestine candidates in this post. It is a fascinating article. I suggest everyone take the time to take a look at it.

[Jim Sagle]

1. Yeah, I always check out Al Jazeera whenever I get the chance.

:boring:

[Wordie]

2. You might find the comments on the Israeli elections interesting.

You don't have to agree with them, of course.

The author thinks that a strong Hamas showing will strengthen Netanyahu's chances, but says he thinks Hamas is not the answer for the Palestinians. What do you think?

[Jim Sagle]

3. I think we have a long way to go before peace of any sort takes root.

I think an author who knows as much as this one should at least acknowledge that the occupation has radically shrunk.

I think it's a bad sign that such an author is still unwilling to accept Israel's existence as a Jewish-majority state. There will never be peace until that acceptance takes hold.

OTOH, I think Israel has no business trying to "manage" Palestinian elections. If they elect Hamas, so be it - they will then live with the consequences.

[Wordie]

4. Those were thoughtful comments, Jim. I appreciate them.

I am not certain if I missed something that you saw when you said that the author is still unwilling to accept Israel's existence as a Jewish-majority state.

He did say this: Two people: one land. Bilateral negotiations are fundamental in recognizing and engaging with the other side.

I'm not certain his intention was to promote the idea of a single state by that. It seemed to me he was just re-stating the conditions that led to the problems. I can see the ambiguity of the statement, though, and why it might lead you to conclude he was looking at a one-state solution.

Here's some other things he said about Peretz, the Israeli Labor candidate:
Nonetheless, Peretz is surely leaning in the right direction... Uri Avnery wrote, “Amir Peretz supports a serious peace program: negotiations with the Palestinians and the establishment of a Palestinian state, on the basis of the borders of 1967.” The first ingredient to formulate the realization of a Palestinian state, autonomy and viability for its people, relies on the election of Amir Peretz.

So, since he seems to support the idea of Peretz as Israel's Prime Minister, and Peretz is supporting a separate Palestinian state, it seems that's probably the author's goal too.

I appreciate the chance to discuss this with you, Jim.

[eyl]

5. Not necessarily

since he considers the Geneva Accords to be a "continuation of apartheid"

[pelsar]

6. the hamas..

is a wild card that even the hamas doesnt know whats going to be. Presently they're having their own internal debate on what the elections means and what they will do....

it could be iranian version of facist theocracy or they could become "fatahized" as one news caster put it, meaning a bit more secular....but they're infighting so its an unknown factor.