All
Roads Lead To Checkpoints
By Remi Kanazi
24 February, 2007
Countercurrents.org
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 Palestinians living in the occupied territories. The 86
million dollars 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
malnutritioned 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 it. 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 Condeleeza 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 this week’s events were Israel’s responsibilities
under the first phase of the roadmap. Phase one of the Roadmap 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 roadmap
is 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 [email protected].