Rice
Jerusalem Summit More About Regime Change Than Peace
By Ira Glunts
24 February, 2007
Countercurrents.org
Despite
the grand and hopeful
proclamations of Condoleeza Rice [1] in which she pledged
a major US commitment to promoting a two-state solution in the region,
the real reason for her visit to Jerusalem this week was to continue
the relentless pressure on the Palestinians to replace the democratically-
elected Hamas government with one led by Mahmoud Abbas and his Fatah
party.
The United States, who considers Hamas to be a terrorist group, has
refused to recognize its government and has worked toward its removal
since Hamas first came to power. Toward this end, the Americans have
enlisted the European Union, UN, and Russia (the four known as the Quartet)
in imposing an economic and political boycott that has had a crippling
effect on both the Palestinian government and society. This boycott
has isolated the government internationally and caused great economic
hardship upon a people already dealing with the ravages of an ongoing
Israeli military occupation. Recently, the political rivalry between
Hamas and Fatah escalated into large-scale violence, which has already
caused at least 80 deaths, hundreds of injuries and threatens to mushroom
into a extremely destructive civil war.
The Arab population in the Israeli occupied West Bank and Gaza is mired
in a truly desperate economic and security situation. In addition, Hamas
is weak due to internal political pressure for improved living conditions
and for progress in achieving even a temporary political accommodation
with the Israelis. It is because of these reduced circumstances that
the Hamas government would permit the bizarre situation where a bitter
political rival is allowed to negotiate with the Americans and Israelis
while they themselves, are ignored and vilified. Hamas hopes that through
Abbas, they will be able to reach a compromise with the Quartet and
Israel, which would lead to removal of the sanctions.
The Quartet has insisted that Hamas meet three harsh and impossible
demands before it will consider lifting the sanctions. The demands are:
recognition of Israel, renunciation of violence against Israel and a
pledge to "accept" all previously signed agreements between
Israel and the previous Palestinian government. In response, Hamas,
signaling its willingness to compromise, has offered: de facto, but
not explicit recognition of Israel, the possibility of a long-term cease-fire,
and an offer to "respect" all previously signed agreements.
This Palestinian response has been immediately deemed unacceptable by
both the US and Israel. The remainder of the Quartet, who have lately
been unwilling to oppose the Americans, has not indicated it will deviate
from the US/Israeli position.
Secretary Rice wants not only consent on all the above conditions, but
additionally, Mahmoud Abbas and his Fatah Party's return to power. She
had hoped to offer tangible incentives to Abbas to continue the armed
civil insurrection against the ruling Hamas government at their Monday
meeting. However, she was blocked in that gambit when Saudi Arabia brokered
a deal in Mecca between the warring Fatah faction, headed by Abbas,
and the Hamas-led government. The Saudis say their main goal was to
end the widening factional violence and to help form a government which
the Americans and Israelis would recognize. The agreement pledged both
sides to the creation of a "unity government" that would continue
to be led by Hamas, but would include both Fatah, as well as some others
who are to the liking of the Bush administration. The US and Israelis
quickly made it clear that the proposed Palestinian Authority was not
acceptable to them.
Even before Rice’s meeting, the US
envoy David Welch personally informed Abbas [2] that the
Saudi deal is not acceptable. According to Fatah spokesman, Nabil Abu
Rdeneh, Abbas reportedly protested, saying he did "the best he
could" in Mecca. Rdeneh further reported that Abbas told Welch
that the US should recognize the proposed unity government since it
is "the best government possible." At about the time that
Welch was reprimanding Abbas for the "unity agreement," the
Israeli press reported [3] that President Bush and Israeli
Prime Minister Olmert had a "pleasant chat" on the telephone
in which they saw "eye to eye." They both had independently
decided, it was reported, that the new proposed Palestinian unity government
should be "shunned."
President Bush had offered
$86.4 million in arms to Abbas, for what can only be reasonably assumed
to be earmarked for the regime change the US desires. Abbas, apparently
sensing his own party's weakness despite the pledge of American support,
has for now, agreed to join a Hamas-led coalition. It can be assumed
that the $86.4 million, which had to be approved by Congress, may not
be delivered as planned. Already, the Congressional
committee [4] chaired by Nita Lowey, who is known as a
friend of Israel, has helped stall the needed Congressional approval
of the funds. It is not clear what her motivation for this was.
Also on Monday, the day of Rice's summit, a US
Joint Senate-House delegation, led by Jon Kyl [5], was
touring Jerusalem. They visited, at length, with the Israeli Prime Minister
where the main topic of conversation was the need to prevent Iran from
attaining nuclear weapons. Jon Kyl is also the head of the U.S-Israel
Joint Parliamentary Committee on National Security. It has been in operation
for four years and is the only US Congressional joint committee which
includes officials of a foreign government. It is not clear whether
such a joint committee is actually in accord with American law.
1. “For Rice, High Stakes Shuttle Diplomacy,” Washington
Post, February 19, 2007.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/
content/article/2007/02/18/AR2007021800660.html
2. “US State Department Official Meets Abbas, Guardian Unlimited,
February 17, 2007.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest
/story/0,,-6422445,00.html
3. “Rice: U.S. To Judge
PA Gov't Based On Whether It Meets Int'l Demands,” Ha’aretz,
February 18, 2007.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/827222.html
4. “US Congress Blocks
Aid to Palestinian Security Forces,” YahooNews, February 15, 2007.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070215
/pl_afp/uscongresspalestinian
5. “American Senators
To Visit Israel," YNet News, February 17, 2007.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/
0,7340,L-3366186,00.html
Ira Glunts
first visited the Middle East in 1972, where he taught English and physical
education in a small rural community in Israel. He was a volunteer in
the Israeli Defense Forces in 1992. Mr. Glunts lives in Madison, New
York where he writes, operates a used and rare book business and is
a reference librarian. He can be reached at [email protected].