There may have been a period when all roads led to Rome, but
for the Palestinian people, all roads lead to checkpoints. The latest
checkpoint Palestinians find themselves at is not manned by Israel but, rather
the ostensible mediator of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, the Quartet
(which is comprised of the US, Russia, the European Union and the United
Nations).
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas came to this latest
checkpoint on behalf of the Palestinian people in hopes of passing through and
finding an extension of the peace process on the other side. The reason Abbas
wasn�t permitted through: for the first time since the passing of Yasser
Arafat, he refused to leave the interests of the Palestinian people behind.
Abbas has yet to fully learn a fundamental lesson: the more
willing the circus animal jumps through the ringleader�s hoops, the more hoops
the ringleader will demand the animal jump through. Sidelining the needs of
Palestinians is not the equivalent of flexibility. Acquiescing to the Quartet�s
demands may make good headlines in the West, but it will not make life easier
for the 3.8 million Palestinians living in the Occupied Territories. The $86 million
the US planned to transfer to Abbas was nothing more than a bribe to sell out
his people. The formation of a unity government comprised of Hamas and Fatah,
known as the Mecca agreement, was the right step for the Palestinian people,
and the right decision for Abbas.
The first goal of the unity government was to end the
factional strife between Hamas and Fatah. The second goal was to end the policy
of starvation, which was emplaced upon the Palestinian people by the West and
Israel subsequent to the overwhelming election of Hamas in last year�s
parliamentary elections. The Palestinian government cannot properly function if
it lacks the funds to satisfy the salaries of the Palestinian population and
their malnourished families. Given the US� rhetoric and its initial rejection
of the unity government, there is no reason to believe that there will be
significant economic improvement in the Occupied Territories. Therefore, unrest
will continue to be the status quo and, unity or not, the Occupied Territories
will continue to fall apart at the seams.
While Abbas has been viewed as a moderate alternative to
Hamas, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has found little use for him. Olmert
views Abbas as someone to turn to only when the US needs him to. Unfortunately,
the only time the Bush administration deems it necessary for a rejuvenation of
the Israeli-Palestinian peace process is when a fresh debacle sparks increased
debate on the Iraq war (i.e. Bush�s stunning failure to sell the troop �surge�
to the American people). The other players in the Quarter have done little to
exert their influence on the US or Israel. Independently, British Prime
Minister, Tony Blair, asserted that there are �sensible� players in Hamas with
whom the West can talk with. Convincing the US that moderate forces exist
within Hamas is not simply an arduous task; it is a mission Blair is
unwillingly to take on. This lack of backbone is a problem that plagues the European Union, the United Nations as well as
European and Arab states in general.
The latest rekindling of the peace process was nothing more
than a few photo-ops for Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and an official
reaffirmation that the Palestinians �won�t shed their terrorist ways.� What
remained missing from the speeches made by Rice and Olmert, as well as the news
outlets that covered last week�s events, were Israel�s responsibilities under
the first phase of the Road Map. Phase one of the Road Map does call upon the
Palestinian people to recognize Israel and renounce violence. But it also calls
upon Israel to freeze all settlement activity, including activity �needed� for
natural growth. Israel, however, has done quite the opposite; it has
accelerated settlement activity and has refused to tear down its illegal
outposts. Furthermore, even after a dramatic decrease in Palestinian violence
-- and a marked increase in Israeli violence -- Israel has done nothing to
improve movement conditions throughout the West Bank and continues to use
collective punishment against the people of the Occupied Territories.
Under international law and multiple UN resolutions, the
conditions of phase one of the Road Map are not a lawful prerequisite to ending
the Israeli occupation. The occupation is not a structure Israel has any right
to. Ending the occupation is not dependent upon whether the Palestinians
officially recognize Israel and its right to exist, nor is it dependent upon
the Palestinian people verbally renouncing violence.
Even if one were to look at the terms of the Quartet�s demands,
in principle Hamas has met the three conditions set forth. Since 2005, the
group has abided by a self-imposed cease-fire and has indicated the
possibilities of a long-term hudna (truce) on several occasions. While Hamas
does not verbally �recognize Israel,� it has admitted that Israel exists and
has not sought its destruction, a point which is reinforced by their calls for
a long-term hudna. Thirdly, Hamas has repeatedly said it is willingly to
negotiate with Israel through an interlocutor such as President Abbas. Both
parties, Hamas and Fatah, base their political platform on the two-state
solution -- the internationally recognized route to end the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict. Hamas is not the same organization it was in 1988 and treating it like
is only serves the agendas of those who are disinterested in peace, and prefer
domination and the continuation of the status quo.
The besiegement of a people can only erode moderation,
foment hatred, and bring Palestinians and Israelis back to darker times. This
may be the plan for many in the Israeli administration and it surely bodes well
for many in the US administration, but it does nothing for peace, and only dims
the prospects of a future that must be met with an end to occupation, an end to
economic sanctions, and a beginning of reconciliation based on justice for both
peoples.
Remi
Kanazi is the co-founder of the political website www.PoeticInjustice.net.
He is the editor of the forthcoming book of poetry, Poets for Palestine, for
more information visit Poetic Injustice. He can reached via email at remroum@gmail.com.