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Palestinian hopes for Obama
By Yasser Abed Rabbo
Tags: Israel News, Palestinians 

President-elect Barack Obama's defiantly positive campaign for change has inspired hope not only in the millions of Americans who voted for him, but also in billions of others worldwide who could not. Across the Middle East, as elsewhere, expectations are mounting that his presidency will herald a new era for America's role in the world.

Palestinians identify strongly with the civil rights movement in the United States. Many recall the dark days when American society enforced racial segregation. That the same society elected an African-American president only a few decades later renews Palestinian hopes that, in our ongoing struggle for justice and freedom, we, too, shall overcome.

Obama's electoral triumph arrives at a symbolic moment in Palestinian history. This month marks the twentieth anniversary of the Palestinian Declaration of Independence. Drafted by the poetic hand of my late friend, Mahmoud Darwish, the text is nothing short of visionary. Whereas previously the Palestine Liberation Organization had campaigned for a single, secular and democratic state across the entirety of mandatory Palestine, our Declaration of Independence endorsed a two-state solution.
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The depth of this compromise can be fully appreciated only in its historical context. In the war and violence that surrounded Israel's establishment in 1948, our losses were immense. Over 726,000 Palestinian Christians and Muslims - the majority of the Arab population of mandatory Palestine - fled or were forced to leave their homes by Zionist militias. Over 400 Palestinian villages in what became Israel were destroyed or depopulated.

Endorsing a two-state solution meant recognizing Israeli sovereignty over 78 percent of our homeland and exercising our right to self-determination on only the remaining 22 percent that Israel has occupied militarily since 1967: the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. Yet we made this historic compromise because we believed that doing so would bring us to the threshold of liberty.

Of course, that is not how things have turned out: Palestinians have been living under Israeli occupation for 41 years. As Obama prepares to enter the White House, we are confident that he will consider the constructive role America can play in the search for peace and security.

In the year since Palestinians and Israelis renewed their commitment to their obligations under the "road map," we may have failed to reach a conclusive settlement to our conflict, but that does not mean that the efforts were made in vain. With the determination of both sides, I am confident that we can reach a final agreement in relatively short order.

The U.S. can take four practical steps to help negotiations move forward immediately. The first step is early engagement. The Bush administration's efforts to assist our peace-making project faltered in part because our conflict was neglected during the early part of its tenure. Allowing this conflict to fester will only aggravate our peoples' insecurity and our region's instability.

Second, the U.S. should establish a credible enforcement mechanism to ensure that the parties comply with their respective obligations, particularly an immediate freeze on Israeli settlement activity throughout the occupied Palestinian territory. Not only has Israel failed to halt its settlement activity since the Annapolis summit - in violation of international law and its renewed road map commitments - but it has actually accelerated such activity.

Construction of settlement housing units is over 45 percent higher now than in the nine months prior to Annapolis. Israeli demolitions of Palestinian homes have also increased, particularly in occupied East Jerusalem. Nothing undermines Palestinian faith in the peace process like watching the homes of our families flattened, while the architecture of our oppression is strengthened.

Third, the new administration should encourage the re-engagement of its Quartet partners - the United Nations, the European Union, and Russia - in the mediation process. International cooperation is key to securing the legitimacy of negotiations, and it will be critical when the time comes for the enforcement and implementation of any agreement. The U.S. cannot be expected to shoulder the post-conflict burdens of peacekeeping alone.

Fourth, the U.S. should renew its respect for international law by recognizing three principles: that the 1967 pre-occupation boundaries must be respected in any negotiations; that Palestinian sovereignty over East Jerusalem must be safeguarded, with guaranteed access for Muslims, Christians and Jews to their holy sites; and that the plight of Palestinian refugees, whose 60-year ordeal remains emblematic of the Palestinian predicament, must be acknowledged and fairly addressed.

Fortunately, a framework already exists that supports these concerns. The 2002 Arab Peace Initiative offers Israel a unique opportunity: full normalization of relations with 57 Arab and Muslim states in return for a comprehensive peace agreement, including an end to Israel's occupation of Arab lands and a just and agreed-upon solution for refugees.

Our Declaration of Independence is now 20 years old. The Arab Peace Initiative has been collecting dust for over six years. Palestinian patience is not infinite. Some have already resigned themselves to believing that a viable Palestinian state will never emerge. Others, like me, argue that we must not lose faith. But if we are to realize our dream of freedom and statehood - and prove the cynics wrong - we will need President Obama's help.

Yasser Abed Rabbo is the secretary-general of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization.

Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2008
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  1.   Show me the Jewish leader who will hand over the Kotel 05:25  |  Sam 21/11/08
  2.   rabbo cant calculate arabs have 90% of land 10:36  |  very puzzled 21/11/08
  3.   Why does Haaretz give space to this man? 10:55  |  Hastaroth 21/11/08
  4.   An ultimate confrontation is needed 10:58  |  Natallie Durson 21/11/08
  5.   Wait till you see black Obama puppets burn in Gaza...... 11:03  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/11/08
  6.   Ha Ha Ha Ha .. 12:11  |  SA 21/11/08
  7.   the arab oslo failed why should this succeed 12:45  |  very puzzled 21/11/08
  8.   #2 Hastaroth --You obviously do not watch Al Jazeera. 13:25  |  Labhras 21/11/08
  9.   Why Does Haaretz give space to you Hastaroth ? 13:42  |  Sam Soul 21/11/08
  10.   What is so funny ? 13:46  |  Sam Soul 21/11/08
  11.   Don`t Hold Your Breath 13:55  |  Mark Lincoln 21/11/08
  12.   PALESTINE, OH, PALESTINE 14:07  |  indrajaya 21/11/08
  13.   Help from Mr. Obama? 14:26  |  khairi janbek 21/11/08
  14.   #7 Lab Rat,the "other side of the story" is not the truth 14:36  |  Hastaroth 21/11/08
  15.   Lab Rat and "the other guys side of the story" 14:44  |  Hastaroth 21/11/08
  16.   Palestinian hopes 15:25  |  Mickey 21/11/08
  17.   Obama Expectations 16:55  |  Zach 21/11/08
  18.   Swiss (Dino) I agree with you for 1rst time 17:02  |  Israeli cititzen 21/11/08
  19.   usual Palestinian lies 17:21  |  tristan 21/11/08
  20.   labrat,why would anyone watch al jazeera 17:25  |  terrornator 21/11/08
  21.   Peace between Israel and the Arabs, "Pissing into the wind" 17:57  |  Dennis MI VI 21/11/08
  22.   The U.S. civil rights movement? 17:58  |  SDHD 21/11/08
  23.   Palestanian hopes 18:06  |  American 21/11/08
  24.   Rabbo should listen to Obama 19:00  |  MichaelF 21/11/08
  25.   #11 - Ignorant indrajaya 19:04  |  MichaelF 21/11/08
  26.   #2 - Hastaroth 19:09  |  MichaelF 21/11/08
  27.   #21 - SDHD 19:11  |  MichaelF 21/11/08
  28.   The Truth behind the Pal-Arab mass exodus: the beginning 20:45  |  Alicia 21/11/08
  29.   The Truth : Haifa 21:10  |  Alicia 21/11/08
  30.   The Truth; Haifa - part 2 21:28  |  Alicia 21/11/08
  31.   The Truth; Haifa - part 3 21:42  |  Alicia 21/11/08
  32.   #25 Michael F 21:44  |  janet 21/11/08
  33.   The Truth; Haifa - part 4 22:05  |  Alicia 21/11/08
  34.   The Truth; the Arab villages 22:13  |  Alicia 21/11/08
  35.   What Obama will likely do: 22:19  |  steve dill 21/11/08
  36.   The Truth; the Jewish attitude 22:20  |  Alicia 21/11/08
  37.   The Truth; the Arab States 22:27  |  Alicia 21/11/08
  38.   #20 Hey Terrornator, 2nd try 22:29  |  ballistic 21/11/08
  39.   Janet`s "theft" 22:33  |  SDHD 21/11/08
  40.   The Truth; "Tochnit Dalet" : Plan D 22:44  |  Alicia 21/11/08
  41.   #28 Alicia you left out the juicy bits 23:02  |  Labhras 21/11/08
  42.   #39 Labrhas 23:41  |  Alicia 21/11/08
  43.   If Obama is a new Carter it needs no Iran-A-bomb ! 23:48  |  Achjee 21/11/08
  44.   very Puzzled you are an ignorant man 23:52  |  gus 21/11/08
  45.   #41 gus incoherent post leaves me even more puzzled 00:07  |  very puzzled 22/11/08
  46.   More Truth 00:22  |  steve dill 22/11/08
  47.   #42 Alicia let there be no doubts---google it. 00:44  |  Labhras 22/11/08
  48.   #39 SDHD 00:50  |  janet 22/11/08
  49.   #28 Alicia, be truthful 00:51  |  janet 22/11/08
  50.   #42 Alicia you need to read more. 00:58  |  Labhras 22/11/08
  51.   More "Pissing into the wind" 01:22  |  Dennis MI VI 22/11/08
  52.   Janet allergic to facts 01:31  |  SDHD 22/11/08
  53.   Janet -- knows nothing about History 01:33  |  SDHD 22/11/08
  54.   very puzzled, gus is right, you are a wingnut... 02:17  |  BBSNews 22/11/08
  55.   Yasser Abed Rabbo is a jihadist who wants Obama Under Dhimmitude 03:42  |  Joseph.E 22/11/08
  56.   To N Durson (#4): Ultimately wrong, I think ... 04:24  |  Morris Valentine 22/11/08
  57.   Morris Valentine`s hopes for Mr Rabbo 04:50  |  Morris Valentine 22/11/08
  58.   #28 Alicia Just a few clarifications.... 05:35  |  Smadar 22/11/08
  59.   Morris, I recall that Obama did recently break his calm... 06:09  |  BBSNews 22/11/08
  60.   Thank You, Haaretz, Again 06:47  |  Gray 22/11/08
  61.   BSNews invokes Bill Clinton 07:15  |  SDHD 22/11/08
  62.   58# Smadar & the history of lies. 08:25  |  Akram Zekaria 22/11/08
  63.   To BBSNews (#59) 08:34  |  Morris Valentine 22/11/08
  64.   Gray, The Times, They are a changin.... 09:13  |  Dutch 22/11/08
  65.   # 18 Israeli citizen 10:51  |  Swiss (Dino) 22/11/08
  66.   #64 does ddoris cadigan actually live in the usa ??? 11:32  |  victor hardman 22/11/08
  67.   Manipulation of Islamist-Jihadists 14:22  |  Brod 22/11/08
  68.   # 5 Swiss From your lips to G-ds ears! 15:55  |  Petra 22/11/08
  69.   Doubt much will change 16:00  |  pt 22/11/08
  70.