The Palestinian case and “power” crisis [Archives:2006/941/Opinion]
Abdulbari Tahir
Palestinians whose land was occupied in 1948 now are undergoing a hard test. A settler and an occupier, the Zionist regime with a racial nature became the last apartheid regime on earth. Palestine was the last remaining colony at the beginning of the 21st century.
The Palestinian tragedy is that they alone face the Israeli state, which has the strongest arsenal in the Middle East, supported by the major powers – the U.S. and the Europeans. However, Arab nations abandoned Palestinians as well.
Arab regimes entirely deserted the Palestinian case. They stood watching helplessly while Palestinian national leader Abu Amar was beleaguered. The Camp David agreement was the beginning of the rupture and shattering of national relations. However, U.S. and Israeli insistence on unilateral solutions was further confirmed by the acceptance of surrounding countries Egypt, Syria and Jordan, marking the beginning of the catastrophic journey.
It is true that Egypt recovered Sinai, but unfortunately, it was at the expense of its Palestinian and Syrian brothers. Yet, Palestinians were forced into unfair negotiations from 1990 up to Camp David in 1992. Palestinians stood alone like a tragic hero receiving stabs without support.
Abu Amar refused to sign an agreement of squander stipulating retreat from June 5, 1967 borders, Jerusalem and the return of refugees. Despite Palestinians' split over Madrid and Oslo and their consequences, Fateh leadership remained integral. They gathered around their principles to the last minute, facing the modern international powers.
Then came the 2006 elections confirming Palestinian insistence on the resistance option. They refused unfair resolutions, which Israel failed to tolerate, besides the fact that it lost the support of its main guardian, the U.S. So what is Hamas expected to do?
Yet all – including the U.S. and Israel – admitted Hamas's success in a free and fair election. Hamas's success indicates the failure of all agreements Fateh signed, which Israel and the U.S. did not respect.
The question is: Why does Fateh leadership punish Hamas while it experienced failure or was made to fail in achieving a political solution?
Palestinian voters punished Fateh for its stake in unfair solutions in which Abu Amar was killed while awaiting its implementation. Fateh leadership also paid for its unilateral approval of such agreements.
The Palestinian situation's seriousness not only is realized in besiegement. Enforced starvation, despite its atrocity, also is not the main threat. War, assassinations and the semi-daily Israeli invasion also are not considered a major peril. It also is not in the daily Israeli invasion of what's left of the West Bank and the sector, the Jewish settlement or finishing the ethnic Israeli separation wall.
The tragic, biased international stance toward Israel also is not a threat to Palestinians. The real threat remains in the internal split among Palestinians. By split, we do not mean a difference in opinion because this remains a source of strength.
It is not preferable to compel Hamas to accept what Abu Amar did not accept and for which he died. It would be wrong for any Palestinian to think he can achieve anything by sacrificing his fellows. The Madrid, Oslo, Camp David and Road Map agreements no longer are acceptable by Palestinians. Israelis also do not respect them, nor do the White House or the Fourth committee patronize them.
It also is distressing that the dispute between the two dominant parties, Hamas and Fateh, revolves around positions. They differ over trifles such as insistence to direct one of the security offices, checkpoints or any other useless, besieged, corruption-stained positions.
Fateh's defeat was attributed to committing itself to “political solutions” which Israelis and their U.S. ally did not abide by themselves. Because of corruption, anarchy and lack of security, Palestinians abandoned Fateh.
Fateh leaders would be wrong if they think they've put the pokers into the Hamas government's cupboards. They cannot even adopt Hamas's method of destabilizing security or targeting Israeli civilians to provoke an Israeli invasion that would enrage Palestinians against Hamas.
Hamas's refusal to recognize the PLO, its excessive arrogance with its majority, irrational assessment of international situations and ignorance of national unity are all hidden time-bombs. Internal conflicts, mad partisanship, targeting civilians and underestimating international attitudes are real threats facing Palestinians.
Abdulbari Taher is a Yemeni Journalist and the former chairman of Yemeni Journalists Syndicate
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