Palestine-Israel: Waiting for Obama
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is in Washington. Why?
According to his spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina, "The president is working to obtain the end of the Israeli blockade imposed on Gaza." But according to an official in Gaza, the visit is yet another photo-op, "nothing less, nothing more."
The visit comes at a time when Hamas has declared that the six-month ceasefire between Israel and the Gaza Strip is over. The ceasefire officially ended at daybreak in Gaza on Friday. The Izz-al-din al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Hamas movement, blamed Israel for the failure of the truce. Israel blames Hamas. It seems that the cycle of violence will continue.
Meanwhile, a new poll jointly conducted by the Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research in Ramallah, revealed that two-thirds of Palestinians support the Arab Peace Initiative, a plan that offers Israel full recognition by Arab countries in return for withdrawing from occupied lands, and nearly two-thirds of Israelis oppose it. If the findings are an accurate representation of Palestinian and Israeli public opinions, then we are no closer to reaching a peaceful resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict than we've been lead to believe by the Annapolis Peace Conference masterminds Bush, Olmert, and Abbas. The timing of the poll coincides with another interesting development. In a resolution co-sponsored by the United States and Russia, the U.N. Security Council declared its support for the process initiated at Annapolis and its commitment to the "irreversibility of the bilateral negotiations" between Israelis and Palestinians.
Security Council Resolution 1850 -- adopted December 16 by a vote of 14-0, with Libya abstaining -- also reiterated the council's support for a two-state solution. It is the first time in five years that the council has weighed in to lend its support to the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. However, Israelis and Palestinians have never put much stock in UN resolutions -- most of them remain ink on paper and unimplemented. But what's interesting about this resolution is the fact that the Bush administration in its final days, after having avoided involving the UN in the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations, finally turned to the United Nations. This simply tells us: we're back to square one!
WE'RE BACK TO more resolutions, more conferences, more negotiations and more empty promises. Meanwhile Gaza residents have been scrounging for green grass to put down in their stomachs in order to survive.
One thing both Israelis and Palestinians agree on. The poll also indicates that 49 percent of Israelis and 57 percent of Palestinians want U.S. President-elect Barack Obama to become more involved in solving their conflict. One more item Mr. Obama needs to add to his Christmas shopping list... after of course, Michelle, the girls, family, friends, the economy, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and...and...Palestinians and Israelis are willing to wait.
Note: I'll be reporting and blogging next week from Israel, the West Bank and Gaza.
Jamal Dajani produces the Mosaic Intelligence Report on Link TV
Follow Jamal Dajani on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jamaldajani
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I am not sure why anyone would expect a 1 state solution, that is asking Israel to simply commit suicide and why would Israel do that?
I agree that a 2 state solution won't happen either, though.
So I support a 23 state solution--1 Jewish state and 22 Arab ones. Seems like the most workable and reasonable solution to me. ;)
For far longer than we were warned about the current economic collapse, we've been warned about the catastrophe that awaits if this situation isn't resolved.
Personally, I doubt that the two-state solution can work. There will remain millions of displaced Palestinians, many of whom will crowd into the non-viable state that Palestine would be. The result will be more explosive conflict, more death.
One democratic state, with equal rights for Jews and Arabs, is the only way out of this. Unrealistically idealistic? Well, who would have thought that whites and blacks could avoid massacres, white emigration and possible economic collapse after apartheid ended? But they're doing it. Sure, blacks don't see the progress they want and many whites are afraid of crime. But they're trying. So far, they are stumbling forward on the path toward a multiracial nation.
No, one democratic Jewish-Arab state isn't too idealistic. The two state solution will presage disaster -- a single state is the ONLY choice. What Islamic state or faction would dare attack such a state, except for the most fringe of fringe elements?
Yes, Arabs who've learned to hate Israelis and Israelis who've nurtured ubermensch delusions about Arabs are going to have to accommodate, for the sake of their children. Stranger things have happened in history.
I think I agree with you. Israel's behavior with the blockade and illegal settlements just prove that they will go to great lengths to sabotage the livelihood of Palestinians. I actually think uniting the region into one country with equal citizenship for all is the only peaceful solution. Both sides have radical elements, and forming a larger citizenship between the two peoples will empower moderates among both. It worked in South Africa and it worked with the two halves of Germany. I won't deny that the situation isn't a great deal more complicated here but this seems to be as fair a solution as will be possible for all parties involved.
"One democratic state, with equal rights for Jews and Arabs, is the only way out of this. "
Not only unrealistic, but impossible as evidenced by Lebanon. As evidenced by any Muslim country where all the minorities are always under attack by Islamists and driven out.
You cannot continue to completely ignore a movement that's been growing exponentially throughout the Muslim world for decades - Islamism which is the antithesis of all you envision and will never allow for it to happen. Jews are seen as less then human by the Islamists, plotting to destroy Islam and to be killed. Islamists do not hide this. Its there for all to see and yet, I'm fascinated that its rarely addressed as being the genuine reason why there's no peace between the Palestinians and Jews nor will there ever be until Islamist groups are banned and eliminated by any means necessary.
In the last two days about 50 rockets and mortar shells have been fired into Israeli cities by Islamists.
And, three bombardment waves of Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
There is no "Islamist" movement. This is an Israeli-Bush fantasy.
There are various groups that are anti-Israeli -- such as Hizbollah, allied with Syria and Iran, a primarily Shiite group, and Al Quaeda, a Sunni group that would like to establish a pan-Islamic "Caliphate" that the Shiites of the world would oppose with the same violence they focus on Israel. It's worth mentioning that there is no Al Quaeda activity in Israel or on its borders. There are the Pakistani Islamists, whose major target is India and Kashmir. Then there are the Taliban, who want to re-take Afghanistan. And probably hundreds of splinter groups.
Those who are firing rockets from Gaza are Hamas, not part of any wider movement.
Your concept of "banning" all these groups is absurd, I'd say the US army and various other forces are trying this, with limited success.
Lebanon has nothing to do with this, it's a totally different situation, exacerbated, let's remember, by Israeli aggression. People were getting along there before Israeli ethnic cleansing send multitudes of refugees there.
Without a unified democratic state, Israel will eventually be destroyed, there's really no choice.
Arvay,
This is exactly what the later Professor Edward Sa'id proposed years ago but who was dismissed as unrealistic at the time. Now it is proven that the two-state solution will never work. Your suggeston is very realistic indeed and I agree, the ONLY REALISTIC SOLUTION. Now, wait for the Zionist mouthpieces of Israel reject your posting. They are on this thread alway waiting and ready to respond with pre-packaged statememts. But, don't worry their true colors are known by many.
I used to look forward to seeing Sa'id's comments. He was an impressive figure, and helped to disrupt the crude Arab stereotype often presented by our media. A profound thinker and a person unblemished by hate, blessed with a great intellect and reason.
I always appreciate the Intelligence Report -- I hope more people are able to appreciate these insights.
Wow from Palestine, Isreal, Russia, Brazil, Cuba, France, UK, Africa. They want to talk to Obama. The guy has a lot on his plate and he's not even president yet. But it does show that he wants to talk to people and listen to what they have to say.
I apologize for my countries behavior in supporting the criminal acts waged against the Palestinians.
I apologize for my country's behavior as well, it has been shameful and against the principles on which this country was founded. Thank you for demonstrating humility and giving an example to the rest of us. I have to confess while I've had this thought, it's never occurred to me to come out and say it as openly as you have. Humility, admittedly, has never been a forte of mine.
Yes...it is refreshing that you would be so generous after blaming the Israelis for everything.
I am looking forward to your reporting from the Middle East next week! I appreciate your editorial commentaries on Mosaic, & wish you the best on your upcoming journey. I have been following the news from the region for yrs., & find very little to be hopeful about, sadly. I do think, however, that Mosaic provides more than a small ray of hope. As more Americans do become aware of the Palestinian perspective, it becomes increasingly more difficult for the same, tired old justifications to endure. I also think that an increasingly greater number of Americans would like to see our tax dollars spent updating our own roads, bridges, levees than on building more illegal barriers & settlements on Palestinian land. (Self-interest for sure, but the results can be a powerful blow to the vested groups.) Please continue your good work on Link TV & the Huffington Post. It does make a difference. Let's hope President-elect Obama responds too.
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Thank you for your kind words and support. Anyone who is interested in watching unedited news stories from more than 36 networks in the Middle East, I recommend they vist Mosaic News on Link TV www.linktv
It will be interesting to see how Obama's administration handles the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and how its policies will be shaped by key appointed officials, like Rahm Emanuel. I fear that even Obama will be much more limited than maybe he even realizes as to what he will actually be able to accomplish in the region. Interest groups and politics have seem to always take precedent in all past adminstrations' policies towards the region.
I guess only time will tell...
Why is everyone so stuck on Ram Emanuel? Obama sets policies and ot his COS.
Everyone wants help from the smartest guy on the planet...a
He's smart and if anyone could solve this six-decade old problem...
If the Palestinians and the Israelis don't help themselves to reach peace. Obama won't be able to help them!
You should add to your statement that he is NOT the Messiah contrary to what some have suggested.
It's encouraging to think that Sec. of State Clinton will embrace the Israel/Palestine issue as the centerpiece of her mission. She brings strong domestic Jewish support which should deflate any charges of anti-Semitism if she takes an even-handed approach. Her contacts through her husband ex-President Clinton should provide multiple diplomatic back-channels and access to Saudi funds to provide redress and development support to the Palestinians. A resolution of this long-standing crisis will perfectly position her as President following the Obama administration.
Clinton will not be able to achieve anything if she does not deal with this even handedly. But again its a matter of priority determined by Obama. What more urgent to the interests of the US?---Now, it's the economy stupid!
Bush waited until the last 2 years of his second term to get engaged in the Palestinian- Israeli conflict. That's why nothing happened. It looks like another war is going to break between Hamas and Israel and then all hell will break loose. Obama should be engaged from day one as he once said when he was campaigning.
Yes indeedy, I think the words "Rahm Emanuel" should clarify exactly and remove any doubts or fantasies about the nature and extent of Mr. Obama's future foreign policy in Palestine.
I couldn't agree with you more Akenanubis!
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