The People in Gaza Challenge Sham Peace Process

[ProgressiveMuslim]

by Joel Beinin


(snip)

It appears that the Annapolis summit and the sham "peace process" it was supposed to have reinvigorated are dead -- killed by tens of thousands of unarmed Palestinians crossing the boarder into Egypt to meet their basic human needs. Shortly before President George W. Bush's visit to the Middle East, Israel began an expanded campaign of pressure on the Gaza Strip, including an escalation in targeted assassinations. Hamas has sent several signals that it was prepared for an informal ceasefire with Israel. But the political perspective articulated at Annapolis and its aftermath requires that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas cooperate with Israel in crushing Hamas rather than try to restore Palestinian national unity. Egypt's task in this drama is to stand silently by.

This is an impossible task and cannot in any way contribute to peace. Even if Mahmud Abbas were to come to terms and sign an agreement with Israel, it would have no credibility and would be very short lived without some degree of approval and participation from Hamas. A government of national unity that represents all the factions of the Palestinian people is the only entity capable of signing a viable peace agreement with Israel.

The Israeli government led by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert opposes the kind of agreement that a Palestinian national unity government would demand, as has every previous government of Israel. Such an agreement would require recognition of Palestinian national rights rather than paternalistic "concessions" granted by a magnanimous but ultimately all-powerful Israel.

The limited capacity of the Egyptian government to acquiesce to this program has been exposed. The Mubarak regime would like very much to see Hamas crushed, since it is an ally of the Muslim Brothers, its most substantial domestic opposition force. But the Palestinian cause is too popular and emotional an issue in Egypt for Mubarak to appear to be assisting Israel in starving the people of Gaza. Moreover, some of the demonstrations in solidarity with Gaza also raised slogans against the drastic rise in the price of food in recent months and against Husni Mubarak himself. Opposition demonstrations linking the Palestine cause with domestic economic issues and autocracy have the potential to threaten a regime whose legitimacy is already minimal.

Palestine, Israel, and Egypt after the fall of the Gaza wall are more unstable than before. It is desirable, but alas unlikely, that this instability will bring the leaderships to their senses and impel them to negotiate a just peace for the benefit of all. But it is more likely that Olmert, Abbas, and Mubarak -- all weak and discredited leaders -- will seek to hold onto power by clinging to the United States, which has a long record of opposing Palestinian-Israeli peace. The people of the Gaza Strip have taken their survival into their own hands and have shown that the power of ordinary people is more likely to shape the future than polished diplomatic formulas.

http://www.juancole.com/2008/01/beinin-guest-op-ed-people-in-gaza.html

[bemildred]

1. Kick for Mr Cole.

Who pretty much nails it.

"But it is more likely that Olmert, Abbas, and Mubarak -- all weak and discredited leaders -- will seek to hold onto power by clinging to the United States, which has a long record of opposing Palestinian-Israeli peace."

[Tom Joad]

2. thanks for posting this, progressive.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

3. Here is the key to conflict:

The Israeli government led by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert opposes the kind of agreement that a Palestinian national unity government would demand, as has every previous government of Israel. Such an agreement would require recognition of Palestinian national rights rather than paternalistic "concessions" granted by a magnanimous but ultimately all-powerful Israel.

-------------------------

Until Israel is willing to do this - all bets are off.

I imagine that many here would say Palestinians have to log ____ years of total submission to any and all Israeli agression, before Israel could CONSIDER this.

That's the crux of the problem. Do victims have to EARN the right to have their victimization cease?

[nightrider767]

4. Is The Bush Plan Dead?

Last I heard he was trying to force his "terms of peace" on both parties.

I'd imagine that there is a lot of screaming, yelling and threats being made in the background as this process continues.

[pelsar]

5. isnt this the guy who proposed SWAT teams?

http://www.juancole.com/2008/01/israeli-atrocity-on-gaza-civilians.html

Don't they, like, have SWAT teams?

____


I'm afraid the guy has seen too many movies and its distorted his sense of reality.......he obviously has no idea what is happening on the ground...perhaps its the ivory tower syndrome-preach from above to the less beings below.