Making peace with new enemies
The dovish slogan "Peace is made with enemies," is interpreted by the Israeli leadership in its own way: "Peace is made - once new enemies emerge." Only when Israel has new enemies is it willing to reach an understanding with its previous ones.
By Uzi BenzimanLike the strong rains that have disrupted daily life in Britain in recent days, the barrage of gestures and peace offerings the Olmert government is heaping upon the government of Mahmoud Abbas and Salam Fayad makes one ponder the irony of the timing of the things that are happening. But, while the downpour in Britain is a natural phenomenon, the timing of Israel's diplomatic maneuvering is man-made and worth some analysis. Is Israel not closing the stable door after the horses have bolted?
Israel has managed to accede to various wishes of the Palestinian leadership - freeing prisoners, releasing frozen funds, allowing the importation of arms, ending the pursuit of nearly 200 fugitive militants in the West Bank, holding senior-level political meetings and making unprecedented peace proposals. In addition, the Olmert government has supported international diplomatic efforts aimed at boosting the prestige of Abbas and Fayad, and at giving the Palestinian public the sense that its national problem now enjoys the attention of the entire world, and that it may soon also experience an amelioration of its daily hardships.
As if this were not enough, the authorized spokespeople of the government in Jerusalem (Ehud Olmert, Haim Ramon, Tzipi Livni) have signaled their willingness to discuss with the Palestinian leadership issues that it previously has avoided, such as the withdrawal of Israel Defense Forces troops from West Bank cities and an agreement on the principles of a final status agreement. Ramon even drafted a peace map that certainly looks very similar to the one Ehud Barak lay on Yasser Arafat's table at the Camp David summit, in July 2000.
The concessions that Israel is dumping en masse on the Palestinian Authority, however welcome and positive they may be, make one wonder why they have been so long in coming. After all, Abbas began his career in power under Arafat and then, when he replaced him as chairman, the reception he received in the corridors of Israeli power were at best insulting: He was described as "a featherless chick." Suddenly, this past summer, he became the darling of the Israeli leadership, who are going out of their way to satisfy him.
The meaning of the government's enthusiasm is clear: Abbas and Fayad have changed their ways - and that is why Israel is repaying them so nicely. They got rid of the gunmen on the streets and revoked the legitimacy of the Ismail Haniyeh government. They are talking about peace and have relinquished the use of "resistance" in their official documents. They are exhibiting a willingness to assert their control over the West Bank in practice, and are trying to drive Hamas from the Gaza Strip. In short, the chicks have feathers and therefore, they deserve some birdseed.
However, this interpretation relies on the deterministic assumption that the reality in the Strip and in the West Bank in July 2007 has been imposed by some supreme power, and that Israel was unable to have an effect on it. It is impossible not to question whether being more responsive to the expectations of Abbas in the past (three or four years ago) would have saved the Israeli leadership the need to rush in panic now in an effort to bolster his standing. After all, the requests to which the Israeli government is now acceding are the same as those the Palestinian leader made in the past.
This is not a pointless discussion. It touches on the question of whether Israel has missed the boat or, on the other hand, if it is taking action in the knowledge that what it is doing now is merely for the sake of show, since there is no power that can alter the situation that has emerged in the PA. In other words, isn't it possible that Olmert believes that Abbas and Fayad will not manage to hold on in Ramallah, and certainly not return to the presidential offices in Ramallah, and that all the prime minister's maneuvers and statements at present are merely an effort to establish his alibi?
On the other hand, if Olmert and his colleagues in power genuinely believe it is possible to bolster the Palestinian leadership - do they not prove by this that Israel always needs tomorrow's enemy in order to compromise with today's foe? The dovish slogan "Peace is made with enemies," is interpreted by the Israeli leadership in its own way: "Peace is made - once new enemies emerge." Only when Israel has new enemies is it willing to reach an understanding with its previous ones.
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During the Cold War, it was said that G-d summoned Gorbachev, Thatcher and Arafat and gave them a chance to ask the Almighty a question. They settled on one question, which was, "went will peace come?". And G-d answered: to Gorbachev: Peace will come to Russia, and in your lifetime too. to Thatcher: Peace will come to Northern Ireland, but not in your lifetime. to Arafat: Peace will come to the Middle East, but not in My lifetime.
Time and time again we are told a "large majority" of Israeli Jews support the "two state" Final solution. How could they? A recent Teleseker poll published in Maariv showed 60% of Israeli Jews feel Disengagement was a failure and oppose uprooting Jews. That hardly squares with a "large majority favouring two states" since many Jews would have to be uprooted to create a new Terror State. The "large majority" favouring the "two state" solution is a large lie.
I hope that we will not forget the spectacle of Neville Chamberlain returning to London from his talks with Hitler, waving a sheet of paper, proclaiming "peace in our time." Some peace! I am not yet convinced, despite the photo ops, gestures and fine speeches that we should be euphoric. A reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah cannot be ruled out at which point Israel will look pretty foolish and much more vulnerable. I pray for Caution as well as Peace.
You do realize that the Middle Eastern cultures have roots that stretch deep into antiquity, and hence their sense of urgency about gratification of desires is not the same as a 21st century American. Indeed, America is the civilization most in a hurry on the planet. The conflict between Jews/Israelis and Muslims/Palestinians is a deep one but is resolvable over time, a fairly long period of time, with many stops and starts along the way.
200 OUT OF 10,000 IS A CRIME! As is freezing PAR TO PALESTINIAN TAXES! wAKE UP iSRAELIIS, THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO PEACE! Israel has managed to accede to various wishes of the Palestinian leadership - freeing prisoners, releasing frozen funds, allowing the importation of arms, ending the pursuit of nearly 200 fugitive militants in the West Bank
Once again ha'aretz points the finger only at Israel; The miniscule measures being taken by the Palestinian leaders are the bare minimum required for Israel to be able to justify their more grand - and risky - gestures. By contrast, those taken by the Palestinians could have been made without any cost to themselves at any time over the past decades. Israel has consistently said it was willing to work with just the smallest indications of willingness on the other side, and it has always done so. It has been the Palestinians who have been intransigent and defined by their enemy stance.
Patience is not only a card game, but became the political game when Oslo crumbled. Considering Israel's current global position, and that of the Palestinians, there is no question that Israel is winning the game. Long ago the Palestinians came to believe quite rightly that Israel was divided into several major groupings that could fight with each other. Arafat contextualized the Al Aksa Inifada on a divide and conquer, but was surprised how the Doves weakened. Having to have another enemy is completely beside the point. The Palestinians are now facing a situation of their own making. Too many Israelis and its political culture suffer from the illusion of central position. Now even the Palestinians know they have to show what it is like to behave like a good neighbor, as so many did in the days of Oslo.
They constantly demonstrate this, in word, action, sacrifice and suffering, for the last 90 years.
I for one am up to here and beyond with suspicions and hatred towards my Palestinian neighbors and to reactions that lead to violence. I've had my fill of war and killing. To those Palestinians who do not want to be my neighbor, well all I can say is, get over it. I am not going anywhere. Talking is better than shooting. Both sides have tried endless rounds of war with nil results. Its time to start talking to each other as much and as fairly as we can manage. After awhile it bocomes part of the natural way of life. How natural is killing anymore? To those who hide behind so-called human nature and claim that war is part of the natural order of things, get ready to sail on the same boat that sank with the dinosaurs.
Uri, it is Benziman's opinion that Israel needs constant enemies, not mine...see the last sentence in his article: "Only when Israel has new enemies is it willing to reach an understanding with its previous ones." My point however is that it is perhaps not Israel which needs there to be an enemy, but the IDF. As an institution, the IDF needs the country to feel constantly threatened, in order to justify the huge spending budgets it receives. Therefore it would make sense to conclude that "peace" is not strictly in the interests of the IDF, and its allies in the US military-industrial complex.
gaza is still a target and the tacit support of abbas for hitting it is remarkable ! abbas is in moscow seeking russian support ? why?
With all due respect, but the US missiles that are being posted on the Jordanian - Israeli boder, prove that the USA is preparing for somthing against Iran. When this takes place, Israel must neutralize Palestinians! If so, then one has to start from now, so that Palestinians don't casue another stress durring war with the Persian empire... anyway, there is somthing fishy, but the heading is right: Making peace with new enemies!
The flurry of attempts to be nice to Abbas and Fayad is all because of Hamas taking over Gaza. If Hamas had not taken Gaza and shown the Israeli government that they could face Hamastan in both Gaza and West Bank, then Abbas would still be being scrorned and spurned by Olmert's crew as he was before. The Pals aren't all stupid. They understand this, and they understand that if Hamas is removed in Gaza, then the Israeli government will probably return to ignoring Abbas and Fayad. The question then becomes, can the leopard change its spots, can Olmert pursue peace with the Pals proactively, rather than just reactively, when events kick him into it?
Whatever is happening with Olmert/Abbas/Hamas and all is much more a fraction of the bigger picture than a world by itself. In the world of Globalism,these are all franchises.Olmert,Abbas,The Saudis,Egypt and Jordan are all in the American corner while Hamas and Hizbullah are with the Iranians (who probably are in with China and Russia) So what is happening between Abbas and Olmert is scripted in Washington.Of course there is no downside for Israel here as they are all playing. Curbing Irans influence is the ONLY game in town and the Palestinians could get a country out of it but to think in terms of micro is limited.Its the Big Picture that is moticvating the players.
Constant enemy is needed in an authoritarian regime to excuse shortcomings of its leaders who cannot be replaced on elections, for they are the only people competent enough to run their country. The Soviet Union, for one, was such a regime. With American, British and other imperialists around, the living standard of the Soviet people could not be very high on their priority list, not higher than survival in the hostile world, and Soviet people bought it gladly. Israel does economically rather well, it has democracy... and no need for constant enemies to excuse why it is impossible to sell meat, toilet paper or gasoline today.
No degree in rocket science required: With Hamas on the sidelines, the less militant Fatah-dominated West Bank may get a state and peace, with Gaza left out to dry in the hope that eventually they'll see how great it all worked out, kick out Hamas or at least its more militant elements, and sign on. Major risk: Instead of Gaza turning away from Hamas, West Bank, once they have their state, turns to Hamas and now Hamas, in its rejection, has the cover of being an internationally recognized state.
"Palestinians" cannot govern themselves because they are South-Syrian Arabs locked-up in refugee camps and given pseudo-nat'l identity just to spearhead destruction of IL. Far from a nation, they are in essence an "anti-nation" unable to unite behind any other cause. Jordan, part of initial Palestine Mandate, was separated by the Brits in 1922 to create original Pal-Arab state and is today one of best-run Arab states. Peace treaty with Egypt provides IL with Sinai security buffer. Peace solution can only be based on Gaza placed under Egypt; with parts of W.Bank linked to Jordan - possibly through a confederation - safeguarding security and settlements for Israel, demographics for Arabs, holy sites for both. Egypt and Jordan face no alternative, because they can't allow adjacent Muslim Bros (Hamas) or irredentist (Fatah) regimes, respectively. Any further "Palestinism" on narrow sliver will only bring more war, bloodshed and misery - not hoped-for peace!
"I believe the international, regional, and local moves to peace at the moment are sincere, genuine, and in the nick of time to avoid patent catastrophe". Hear hear! In complete agreement with Ivar #7.
Clearly public opinion on both sides of the Green Line has driven this situation, until it has destabilized the entire Middle East, leading to the ice breaking Saudi Peace Plan, the chief olive branch, and its adoption by the Arab states and PA. Meanwhile the iron grip of the Settler Enterprise, the root of the Occupation in the 2 state view, or Apartheid in the one greater state, on Israeli public opinion has been the root of the entire problem, besides which Hamas intransigence and its Quassams are merely a side show, constantly promoted to center stage by the Settler entrepreneurs. I believe the international, regional, and local moves to peace at the moment are sincere, genuine, and in the nick of time to avoid patent catastrophe.
Uzi Benziman, you ask why it is happening just now. Well, obviously it's attrition. But even that has its place in the scheme of things.....
ISRAELI ADMINISTRATIONS SINCE 1992 THINK THAT YOU CAN ERECT A STRUCTURE WITH THE FOUNDATIONS BEING LAID LAST OF ALL !! WHEN THEY FINALLY REALISE THAT ANY DEVIATION FROM THE PRINCIPLES OF THE 1922 MANDATE LEAD TO TO CONFUSION AND DISASTER THEN WE MIGHT BEGIN TO ACHEIVE STABILITY IN THE REGION !!
Politics is the art of compromise.When your ennemies make a compromise and change their minds from "offensive against you" to "willing to accept your rights",it is only obvious that you,too,must make similar changes in your policies.The art is to harmonize your moves with those of the other side. Therefore,are you not happy,Mr.Benziman,to see Israelis and Palestinians making moves towards peace?
Benziman makes a very interesting point about Israel's constant need for an enemy. I wonder whether this is because the IDF is so dominant in Israel! Without an enemy, the role and stature of the IDF is much reduced. Does this add credibility to the opinion that Israel is not so much a state with an army, but more an army with a state? Will the IDF's wings have to be clipped before Israel can have a real chance to achieve peace?
"...at present are merely an effort to establish his alibi?..."Peace is made - once new enemies emerge..." While no peace is being made with any enemies, those spin and alibi would've certainly made some real, more angry and more powerful new enemies. A FAKE MEDICINE make REAL SLEEPING VIRUS emerges from the old circumstances.
The two of them are eager to come to some compromise with Israel and to emphasize their distance from the Hamas extremists. Perhaps it's even a true perception of moderation that had previously been hidden.