Israelis and Palestinians Pushed From Peace

by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright October 3, 2010
All Rights Reserved.                                

            Pushed, pulled and battered from peace, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian’s West Bank President Mahmoud Abbas find themselves pandering to extremists on both sides.  Instead of allowing Israeli and Palestinians to find common ground, Arabs, Europeans, Russians, Asians, etc., all have too many opinions as to what are acceptable conditions for peace.  Recent demands from various countries that Israel halt all construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem reflect counterproductive face-saving demands to move Mideast peace ahead.  Abbas, himself, whose Palestinian Authority, Palestine Liberation Organization and Fatah movement, could care less about Israeli building on what will eventually become an independent Palestinian state.  He knows the history, especially in Gaza, where Palestinians inherited a wealth of Jewish building projects.

            Demands that Israel halt all construction projects of face an immediate end to peace talks make no sense to Abbas.  Arab nations, besieged with their own problems, constantly pressure Abbas to show a steel spine with Israel.  Abbas should not have to pander to other Arab countries which, historically, have turned a blind eye to Palestinian aspirations.  Ranting about Israel doesn’t help Abbas, the Palestinians or the cause of peace. ”The leadership confirms that resumption of talks requires tangible steps, the first of them a freeze on settlements,” said Yasser Abed Rabbo, a senior PLO official, reciting, not Abbas’ demands, but those of other countries seeking to sabotage the peace process.  “The Palestinian leadership holds Israel responsible for obstructing the negotiations,” showing the kind of counterproductive demands and conditions that neither Abbas nor Netanyahu want.

            Abbas knows firsthand that no other Arab country has offered Palestinians one inch of land or help in achieving the late Yasser Arafat’s dream of an independent Palestinian state.  Now that it’s within his grasp, Abbas’ Arab friends have done practically everything to obstruct the process.  Whole industries in Arab countries have thrived over the last 40 years on Palestinians’ unending war with Israel.  Israel’s ultra-conservative, extremist pro-immigrant religious parties, like Shas, also throw a monkey wrench into Netanyahu’s peace plans.  “No one wants to see this stop dead in its tracks,” said a senior U.S. officials specking anonymously, forgetting that powerful economic interests, in the Arab and non-Arab world, seek to end the current peace process.  Abbas know, better than most, that stopping the peace process gets the Palestinians nowhere.

            Abbas is scheduled to meet this week with Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak, before the Arab League’s meeting in Cairo Friday, Oct. 8.  Adullah and Mubarak—if they really care about the Palestinians—should tell Abbas to do whatever it takes to keep the talks going, including working it out with Netanyahu.  Setting artificial deadlines or conditions that have no bearing on one inch of eventual territory only prolongs Palestinians’ suffering.  Arab states have talked tough against Israel since taking a beating in the 1967 Six Day War.  Israel is far more powerful militarily today then it was then.  Abdullah and Mubarak know the consequences of war or armed conflict against Israel.  Palestinians can no longer be the whipping boy or excuse for other Arab states to take frustrations out against Israel.  Abbas must look beyond the Arab League to his own interests.

            Beyond all the rhetoric on the Arab street, the Palestinians have suffered for years from empty promises about defeating Israel.  Dictators like the late Saddam Hussein and, more recently, Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, like to hijack the Palestinian cause for their own domestic problems.  Neither oil rich Shiite Iran, nor Sunni Saudi Arabia, nor Egypt, nor any other Arab country has done anything measurable to advance the Palestinian cause.  Their collective hatred toward Israel prevents them from finally telling Abbas to negotiate a deal without preconditions that works with Israel.  Palestinians loyal to Abbas have enough problems resolving their civil war with Hamas, than promoting more armed conflict with Israel.  Hamas, like other Arab states, has its own agenda continuing unending war with Israel.  Abbas knows the path to peace, security and prosperity goes through Jerusalem.

            Settlement freezes have little to do with the brass tacks of negotiating a peace deal with Israel.  Abbas needs no phony concessions from Netanyahu only eventual land and autonomy to create a future Palestinian state.  He has more on his full plate dealing with Hamas, who, so far, refuses to sit at the peace table.  When the Arab League meets this week, Abbas must ask himself what alternative plan other than war they propose to achieve an independent Palestinian state.  Arafat went to his grave in 2004 without realizing his dream.  Abbas must recognize that only he and Netanyahu, with the help the U.S., can negotiate a permanent peace.  His Arab friends need to back off, stopping applying pressure and give Abbas the respect and authority to do what’s right.  Breaking off peace talks serve no one other that the cottage industry built around an endless war with the Jewish State.

About the Author  

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.