A few months ago, a group of six Palestinian residents of Ramallah decided to take a bus ride to Jerusalem. This was no ordinary ride. The Israeli government-funded bus they boarded links West Bank Jewish settlements to Jerusalem and Israel. The trip on this settler-only bus that travels on Palestinian roads did not last long. At the entrance of Jerusalem near the Palestinian village of Hizma, the Palestinian riders were forcibly taken off the bus and detained.
The Palestinian passengers, who made no effort to hide their identity or nationality, called themselves "freedom riders". They told the press covering their trip that their nonviolent actions were inspired by civil rights activists in the United States who use the same name, and that they aimed at exposing Israeli discriminatory rules in Palestinian areas.
The original Freedom Riders were civil rights activists who rode interstate buses into the segregated southern United States to test the Supreme Court decisions Boynton vs. Virginia (1960) and Morgan vs. Virginia. The first Freedom Ride left Washington, DC, on May 4, 1961, and was scheduled to arrive in New Orleans on May 17. They never made it to their destination.
Palestinians took their nonviolent protest one step further this week. On January 9, Palestinian using their cars attempted to travel on the same Israeli-only Palestinian roads and again ended up facing Israeli soldiers who arrested five. Unlike the freedom riders, the car protesters got little press coverage, although they were well covered on social media using the hashtag #carprotest.
Whether riding or driving, the protesters' major focus was on what is referred to as Area C. Under the 1993 Oslo Accords, the West Bank was divided into three areas. Area A, which was mostly populated cities in the West Bank, was left under the security and administrative control of the Palestinian Authority.
Area B was areas just outside major Palestinian cities and was left under Palestinian administrative control, but Israel retained security control over it. Finally, Area C constitutes more than a third of the West Bank, including all settlements and large surrounding areas. The Israeli military establishment has both administrative and security control over it.
Area C, covering about 59% of the West Bank, includes the entire Jordan Valley (with small exceptions for Jericho and the village of Uja), as well as all areas of natural West Bank development.
While Israel continues to violate its commitments regarding the Palestinian Authority's security control over Area A, the big problem in the coming years will be the future of the lands that Israel and Israeli settlers lust for. Even largely pro-Israel Americans involved in negotiations, like Dennis Ross, realize that Area C is the one where the potential for signs of peace can occur. Writing in the Washington Post recently, Ross called on the Israeli government to ease Palestinian access to their own lands now totally under Israeli control.
While the world still overwhelmingly supports the two-state solution, Palestinians are worried about the areas where their state should exist. Major infrastructure projects, such as an airport, can only be undertaken in areas that are now under total Israeli security and administration control. While Palestinians may be able to decide what kind of zoning laws and building codes Nablus or Hebron should follow, they cannot make any development plans outside West Bank limits.
It is no wonder that peace talks have been stuck on the issue of settlements. International envoys (mostly the Quartet) have tried to circumvent this obstacle by demanding that Palestinians and Israelis submit their plans for borders and security by January 26, 2012. Palestinians submitted their plans, the Israelis are holding back.
It is highly unlikely that in an election year in the US any breakthrough in the talks will occur. As a result, at least for the next year or so the real battlefield will be what is commonly referred to as Area C.
Follow Daoud Kuttab on Twitter: www.twitter.com/daoudkuttab
The Jerusalem bus Freedom Riders are very much the equivalent of the US anti-Jim Crow Freedom Writers in America. And I am pleased to say their were many Jewish Americans who rode on those buses.
The middle east has been at a state of war for the last 4000 years, it predates, Islam, and Christianity.
I hate to ran on your parade, but nothing anybody does in the next 4000 years will change it.
Best thing to do is get out of the middle east, move far, far away.
People came to America to get away from the old world of constant wars, now we want to be like Europe, we want colonies, armies and constant war.
You watched the first and second act but missed the third, when the greenhouses were rebuilt but were eventually rendered useless due to water shortages and the blockade.
Mildly speaking this is far from reality. Israel presented its 21 points list to Arab side and the Quarter. Most of points are related to Israeli concerns about security, principles and mechanisms to provide adequate security to Israeli citizens. Like control of border with Jordan in order to prevent Gaza-fication of the WB. Members of PLO Executive Committee have commented to these 21 points that neither PLO, nor PNA would accept any responsibility in regard to providing security for Israeli citizens.
So he's right -- the Israelis have not submitted any plans, just talking points.
I guess you are not privy to the information.
At the same time Mr.Khaled suggests to stall border negotiations for as long as possible while insisting on settlement freeze.
Thus, one wonders, why not elevate the concept of peace high enough and promote peace-for-peace...??
Is peace not good enough a cause to promote, I ask the author of this article...??
Following are excerpts from a Friday sermon in Al-Bireh, the West Bank, which aired on Palestinian Authority TV on January 6, 2012.
Preacher: “Oh servants of Allah, every evil and catastrophe on the land of Palestine – moreover, in the whole world – is caused by the Jews.
“They generate civil strife with their clandestine handiwork, their despicable texts, their bitter hearts, and their abominable intentions.
“Allah said: ‘Whenever they kindle the fire of war, Allah extinguishes it, but they strive to do mischief on earth. Allah loves not those who do mischief.’ This is the history of the Jews.
“Many a covenant have they violated.
“Many a prophet have they slayed.”
(This was run on the official PA TV - not Hamas, not a pirate channel, but the TV channel that reflects the opinions of the PLO.)
http://www.twitvid.com/F58BH
Greece will balance their budget before the middle east wlll be at peace.
Their population growths are to large to create a stable society, it is simple economics.
I am curious on your feelings about the Olmart Peace proposal and more importantly the map that he laid out (http://www.haaretz.co.il/hasite/images/iht_daily/D171209/olmertmap.pdf). With Palestine and Israel as contiguous countries (using land swaps) to live along side each other...
I am also curious (since it has come up for discussion before), do you believe the Palestinians will agree to be a nonmilitary country? Limiting themselves to small arms and a para-military & police force, as they have now.
What makes the roads "Palestinian" Daoud?
Perhaps that structure does not mirror reality -- but it might.
(For my non-Jewish brothers and sisters, I wanted a tribal reading on this. I mean you no disrespect.)
Area C, covering about 59% of the West Bank..."
is it more than a third or is it nearly two-thirds? is this fuzzy math?
And, for all of this period Jerusalem, also known as Zion, situated at the center of Eretz Israel (Land of Israel), has been the focal point of affinity and yearning by Jews as individuals and of the Jewish people as a people regardless of their physical geographic location worldwide. Indeed, no other people has ever perceived Jerusalem in such a way.
Happily, Jerusalem has now return to be ruled by the Jewish people, hence, for the first time in many centuries, it is open to all of humanity for both visit and worship
"Happily" Not to the ingenues population who where brutally expelled and robbed and not allowed back even for a visit.
Israel gives the Arabs parts of its territory as agreed with the ruling authority in 1917 and sanctioned in 20 and 22 thus allowing them a state which they rejected in 47
Agreement was signed by Abbas in 93 which the Arabs constantly contravene. Again they did so so spectacularly in 2011 at the UN
Again bring it on and bring this ridiculous pussyfooting charade to a close
Truly a hero we can all be proud of ?????