As Hanitizer wrote yesterday, this week saw the beginning of the long-awaiting Palestinian unity talks that aim to end the bitter divide between Fatah and Hamas and provide a platform for the adoption of a unified strategy towards the Israeli occupation.
The preliminary talks that took place this week seemed to have been conducted in a positive atmosphere; not only is there a clear and universal appreciation for the need for unity, but in the aftermath of the war on Gaza Palestinian factions seem closer than ever in their political stances. That a clear target has been set (the formation of a national unity government by the end of March) is another indication of how much the politicians seem to have realized that they cannot move forward without each other.
While these signs along with the joint press conferences conducted by the factions point to progress, I fear that continuing to work within the parameters of the defunct Oslo Accords by setting up another Palestinian Authority government can only end in disaster.
The internal fallout in Palestinian society throughout the 15 years of the so-called peace process is a direct effect of the Oslo Accords, which set up the limited (and increasingly ineffective) PA. From the onset, the PA was meant to be a limited-but not autonomous-body that directed the civil affairs of the Palestinians in specific, fractured areas of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Although it was meant to be replaced by an independent Palestinian government by 1998, the PA has become a permanent institution, unable to challenge Israel’s abuse of Palestinians or check the occupation’s ever increasing expansion into the land ear-marked for a future Palestinian state.
Two examples of the detrimental role the PA plays towards the struggle for liberty came in the past few days. About a week ago, Israel served all the inhabitants (80 households) of the Bustan neighborhood of the Silwan area in East Jerusalem with demolition orders, the largest such order since 1967. Around 1,500 Palestinians are to be made homeless so that their land can be turned into a park for Jewish settlers.
Although there is widespread rage at this gross (but typical) Israeli violation of Palestinian rights, the episode demonstrated the impotence of the PA in the face of Israeli transgressions. Apart from calling for a general strike in the West Bank (which does not affect Israel in the least), the PA could muster no more than a verbal condemnation of the demolition orders. Meanwhile, the people of Silwan and the tens of thousands of Palestinians whose homes have been demolished and whose land is confiscated daily by the occupation have no official body to protect them.
And yet, even as Israel announces plans for further settlement expansion and the Palestinians are herded into ever shrinking cantons, the PA continues to stick to the impossible vision of a two state solution to end the conflict. Today Mahmoud Abbas, former President of the Palestinian Authority, current dictator and self-described President of the non-existent state of Palestine, threw the unity talks their first challenge by proclaiming that any unity government must accept the (now impossible) two state solution.
Abbas’ support, particularly after the war on Gaza (the clearest indicator of the incapacity of the PA) has plummeted spectacularly, and he is seen as being completely out of touch with reality. Even as he faces pressure from within Fatah itself to suspend negotiations with Israel and reconcile with Hamas, Abbas continues to play the role assigned to him as head of the PA by clinging to the long-dead peace process even as Israeli colonialism and expansionism continues to bury it. Abbas also seems oblivious to the fact that the next Israeli prime minister has clearly and repeatedly stated that he does not believe in a two state solution.
The PA, by its very nature, serves Israel’s interests before the interests of the Palestinian people. A national unity government within this system will continue to impede the advancement of the Palestinian struggle. The reconciliation talks will also discuss the reactivation of the PLO and the integration of Hamas and Islamic Jihad within it, so that the Palestinian people will have one representative, one leadership and one strategy leading their struggle. That is the unity that will move us forward.
Related posts:
- State of Emergency in Gaza
- A South African in Palestine
- Israel’s PR campaign to recruit support for killing
- One Day In
- Hamas Recognizes Israel, Unity Government Agreed
You broke it down perfectly.
God bless your dead relatives in Gaza.
Posted by Arayus | February 28, 2009, 3:07 pmthank you Mohammad for this insightful post. I agree totally.
God, certain palestinians need to realize that Oslo is DEAD, the sooner they realize this the better.
but I guess its impossible for Abbas to do it. Afterall, he is the engineer of the Oslo accords.
we are in a pitiful situation right now.
Posted by ananosa | February 28, 2009, 10:56 pmThe day before the last massacre in Gaza Nazal (Hamas spokesman) was at Aljazeera in an one hour circus; introducing Hamas latest accomplishment(classifying trucks load of the PA intelligent documents that hamas obtain after they take over in Gaza & open it to the world to undermine the PA credentials)
He not only ignore the question about the certain Israeli plan to Genocide, he get mad & refuse to be interrupted?
And when RT ask Hamas spokesman in Gaza the same question hours before the Genocide; the man also was under the influence of the power show with Fateh?
Few days before that was the last media appearance of Haneih (The Prime minister) celebrating the arrival of a symbolic (not actual) aide boat (Aljazeera media business/Qatar); this man before & after act like the First Lady of the state (clean, crisp with an emotional touch)
Mash'al & Zahar are true leaders; they understand the regional & international balance & they do their best to walk the thin line between the dominant Paranoid arabic discourse & the reality of a painful politics ..but when Mash'al was talking (unity & uprising "Intifada") during the Genocide; even a balanced channel like (Democracy Now)translated (rockets & revenge)?
Long story a little shorter:
At the moment needed to walk the talk : We do not saw Al-Kasam Brigades terrifying Israel by tens of (suicide/martyrdom) operations & We do not saw a folk of efficient & effective rockets hit deeper into Israel at every stage?! or a heroic two true Martyrdom oriented fighters whom blow them selfs at the gates of Jeneen Camp killing (14) of the criminal invaders in a similar episode of the Israeli continuance Genocide in 2001
What we saw is what the first CNN report indicate at the night of the invasion (the people of Gaza are isolated, starved, abandoned & terrified), even one confirmed media report mention the names of three of Al-Kasam leaders whom ran to Egypt; although they are not the WANTED as we all know?
We saw all these videos of training camps, rockets, speeches, power show "with fateh", Nasheeds & Du'a widely used by the Israeli propaganda to cover the crime & de-humanize the victims (the Israel don't deny killing civilians including babies , they "justify" that)
an internet video named "Jimmy Carter on Gaza" is not available in USA?!; but the man last appearance in the "daily show" spell it (Two State Solution)
Long story short
the Think Tanks in USA & the Israeli politicians are persuading (pressuring) Jordan & Egypt to a final three state solution (with the Palstinian leadership vacuum given): integrate Gaza with Egypt & what left from the West bank with Jordan ; they both reject that (it's not in the best of their interest: strengthen the Muslem brotherhood in Egypt & broke the fragile demography balance of Jordan)..Egypt in fact is baby sitting Hamas childish politics; that serve it's interest (who care about a Paranoid "arabic street")
The Israeli alternative is a wide security zone with it's border with Gaza "on Gaza land" (equivalent to the Wall in the West bank) & sovereignty over the Gaza-Egypt border
Hamas militant was NOT an Israeli target in this operation:
at this blog ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2009
A Panoramic Scene of Destruction from Gaza
By Will
Juhor ad-Deek was a strategic point south east of Gaza because of the height overlooking the demarcation line and the entrance to Gaza City.
But is was just a farm village with 3000-4000 inhibitors.
After the Israelis had dropped leaflets to warn civilians, and almost all fled to a U.N.-run elementary school in the refugee camp of Bureij.
The Israelis then destroyed the village completely using bulldozers house by house. They used 5-6 days to completely destroy the village including large areas with Olive trees. Trees which will take 20-30 years to grow up again and give fruits?
In other internet reports & video you see the same massive level of destruction at strategic points close to the border with Egypt
Finally
Mahmood Darweesh onces said:
SAVE US FROM THIS LOVE
Hamas support (not more than Fan style) in the Arabic Street is Imaginary in it's nature; but stronger than the reality, while the whole world see a Victim – Criminal , the Arab see a Hero – Traitor?
Their love to Hamas is real; but poisonous?! they both a victim of a paranoid discourse ?!
Posted by riskability | March 1, 2009, 12:23 am