Time for serious Palestinian leadership

[Jefferson23]

January 3, 2015

The move by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to join the International Criminal Court and give it jurisdiction to investigate allegations of Israeli and other war crimes in Palestine should be seen as a positive development that brings international law to play in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Yet I find it difficult to be enthusiastic or optimistic about this move, due to the personalized, uninstitutionalized and erratic manner in which Abbas and the current Palestinian leadership go about the business of managing statehood.

We have just witnessed the sad spectacle of Abbas deciding to take the issue of Palestinian statehood to the U.N. Security Council, and in the end discovering that he was unable to secure the nine votes needed to pass the resolution (which would have been vetoed by the U.S. in any case). The failure at the Security Council is symptomatic of the wider problem that has bedeviled the rump Palestinian leadership that remains in place under Abbas, while many Palestinians have abandoned his drifting ship and joined Hamas and other political groups.

That problem is simply that Abbas and his few advisers have consistently failed to undertake the hard work needed to succeed in political and diplomatic action, and to mobilize those assets Palestinians enjoy in the region and the world.

The hard work I am talking about is nothing magical or exotic. It is simply the hard work of spending days and weeks undertaking the basic tasks of mobilizing, consulting, negotiating, threatening, enticing and other such activities that are necessary for the success of any political campaign. This can apply to running for a judgeship in a small town in Arkansas or the presidency of France, or seeking passage of a resolution at the United Nations or any other international forum.

in full: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Opinion/Columnist/2015/Jan-03/282897-time-for-serious-palestinian-leadership.ashx?utm_medium=email&utm_source=transactional&utm_campaign=Newsletter

[BillZBubb]

1. Abbas is serious. He's just not a particularly good leader.

He did the correct thing asking the UN for statehood, even knowing the US would block it. At least the Palestinians finally are working the legal channels. They are forcing the pro-Israel United States to expose its phony "neutrality" and "honest broker" façade.

Abbas is a weak president. Being the president of a state under occupation by a hostile power doesn't allow anyone much leeway. Unfortunately, Abbas is no Gandhi and the Palestinians aren't Indians.

Even so the ICC move and the petition to the UN were positive moves by Abbas and moving in the right direction.

[The Shredder]

2. Hostile Power?! HAHHAHAHAHA

Just ask Gaza what happened to their territory when Israel gave up on it - and even Egypt gave them 1,000 meter buffer zone - same for Israel. And ask Gaza why they had this brilliant idea of sending over 4,000 rockets towards Israel trying to provoke an response? Violation of the Oslo Accords.

Gaza is in real bad shape.

The only hostile power in Palestinians is their factions. They need to figure out how to get rid of the terror aspect and find peace.

Otherwise, they can see the same status quo that they are used to.

[Jefferson23]

3. I think that is correct, yet the words of caution he is being offered are relevant and

hopefully will be heeded. My take on his advice is that Abbas knows or should that he will
need to be prepared for to fill in the gaps of money the US will deprive them of if they do
not back off. That takes a great deal of planning along with the other political issues he covers
in the OP.

The Arab states, their leadership, is not a given of unconditional support. The ME is a disaster
area, and do not forget they already acquiesced about the land swaps more than a year ago.

I have been critical of him but I do appreciate the enormous pressure he is under...I always
hope he will fight the good fight until the end. With that said, he needs to be smart and
prepared and also prepare his people with the truth for what is coming.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

4. Has the road to freedom ever been easy for anyone that sought it?

[Jefferson23]

5. No, that's one reason the advice is being offered.n/t