The West Bank illusion
Abbas represents building the state in stages from the top down by negotiations; Fayyad represents building the state in stages from the bottom up.
By Menachem Klein
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Palestinian PM Salam Fayyad throwing a package into a fire set to burn products from West Bank settlements, Jan 5, 2010. |
| Photo by: AP |
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad are darlings of Israel and the international community. For a long time now, they have been seen as brand names, not as officeholders dependent on circumstances of time and place. Abbas represents building the state in stages from the top down by negotiations. Fayyad represents building the state in stages from the bottom up. To Israel and the international community, they seem eternal.
No matter how we define this view - a mistake, wishful thinking or an incorrect perception - we have to plan for the day after Abbas and Fayyad, because that day is visible on the horizon. The negotiations Abbas is clinging so hard to are producing not results but only disappointment among the Palestinians. The Abbas administration has neither democratic backing nor political legitimization. Parliament is not functioning, the president has completed his term and elections are not on the horizon. The green light for negotiations with Israel was given by the Arab League and not by elected representatives of the Palestinian public.
The Palestinians' independence in decision-making - the cornerstone upon which Fatah was established and for which the Palestine Liberation Organization fought - has been abandoned. As in the period from 1937 to 1948, Palestinian policy is an outcome of a pan-Arab decision. Lacking institutionalized democratic legitimacy, the PA is relying on the security forces, which are relying on Israeli bayonets, American training and financial aid from the West. Even the little that Yasser Arafat achieved regarding liberation from the Israeli occupation and dependence on foreign elements has been lost.
Control of Area C is the key to the success of Fayyad's path. With the help of international pressure, Fayyad has paved several more roads and has put up some public buildings. But Israel's control of Area C remains undisturbed. Fayyad is serving Israel in that he is improving the functioning of the Palestinian institutions in areas A and B. He is thus reinforcing Israel's claim that the Palestinians are the masters of their own fate.
Even if Israel allows Fayyad to increase his range of action to Area C, this will not lead to the establishment of a Palestinian state in most of the West Bank. For that to happen, Israel would have to allow hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to settle in Area C. But actually, this territory has been reserved for Jewish settlers. Moreover, according to a recent report by the American expert Prof. Nathan Brown, Fayyad's success in building institutions in areas A and B is far less than what it appears to be in Washington and Jerusalem.
The improvement in Palestinian income as a result of the freer movement and the lifting of roadblocks is deceptive. It does not reflect more freedom and progress toward Palestinian independence. On the contrary, this improvement was achieved by the sharpening of Palestinian bayonets and the increased cooperation with Israel. It is also worth remembering that the intifadas of 1987 and 2000 erupted after a year or more of increases in income and employment.
Abbas' assumption that U.S. President Barack Obama will give him the Palestinian state on a silver platter without the Palestinians having to fight for their liberation has not been proved and is on the verge of collapse. Israelis on the left who believe that Fayyad has learned the lessons of practical Zionism are in fact seeing themselves. Zionism enjoyed British protection and the possibility of establishing a society parallel to the Palestinian society of the time. Fayyad does not have similar freedom of action, nor is he backed up by the Palestinian diaspora, which is sending in immigrants and money. The Israeli system of control, which looks so stable and perhaps eternal, is in fact a system living on borrowed time.
The writer teaches political science at Bar-Ilan University and is a research fellow at the European University Institute in Florence.
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Through Jeremia 30 Hashem speaks:" I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their farthers, and they shall possess it." BUT HaShem never works against the free will of people, that is how He decided to create them, He waits for the people who want to possess the land which is His will. For this generation He did not command to kill all the people in the land but gave a promise to possess it. He did not talk, give it away. Resolution 242 has been confirmed with Jordan. UN Charter confirms Israel's border to the river Jordan after decision from the League of Nations. Since 1993 Israel has been waiting for somebody to do decisions. Nobody did. Are you waiting to the next PM to follow HaShem's promise? Now WB is nobody's land. Also, Jews borrowed money to Ottoman Empire and collateral was Palestine. The debt was never paid, so who owns the WB? Examine. Maybe Jews own also Jordan which is a major part of Palestine.
according to Arafat principle:"Take what you can get and continue fighting." Nothing remains for Israel except annexation of WB. requires more prisons to put treason makers there but probably they will escape to neighbouring arab countries. You could then also change their schoolbooks to correspond the facts and not narratives and eliminate most of the incitements.
Everything in Haaretz goes back to the same thing, return to 1967 borders and hope that the Arabs will be peaceful this time. I wonder if the writers here would be interested in buying the Brooklyn bridge or some swamp land in Florida?
the roads and buildings can wait. the priority is to build a nonviolent Palestinian society, or even a Pan Arab non violent society!
Violence has been perfected by Israelis. Arabs are second-class. Both Semitic peoples....yes?
It is NOT the West Bank. It is Judea and Samaria-Israel's liberated historic homeland-Land of Israel. It is Israel's Land since ancient time which Israel liberated from the Islamist-Jihadist occupiers in 1967.
The sooner you realize that the better you will be. With your neocon thinking Israel will not last much longer. You'll have only yourself to blame.
The Fayyad plan represents a bold anti-Fatah posture and is seen to pose a direct challenge to Fatah and its leader, Mahmoud Abbas. Fayyad enjoys only limited political backing and his political rivals, such as Tawfiq Tirawi, Abu Maher Gneim, and Mahmud al-Alul, who were recently elected to the new Fatah Central Committee, have already blasted Fayyad's plans. Israel supports "bottom up" Palestinian state-building. However, Israeli leaders have voiced legal and security-based concerns over Fayyad's intention that the PLO would unilaterally declare Palestinian statehood in 2011 based on the June 4, 1967, lines. The one-sided establishment of a Palestinian state would contravene a key provision of the Oslo Interim Agreement, according to which: "Neither side shall initiate or take any step that will change the status of the West Bank and the Aza Strip pending the outcome of the permanent status agreement. Another direct challenge to Israel is that Fayyad's "blueprint" calls for massive Palestinian development in Area "C" of the disputed West Bank, which is under Israeli civil and security control, and which directly challenges the delicate, agreed-upon framework of the 1993 Oslo accords. Israel's requirement of "defensible borders" involves its continuing control in Area "C," including the strategically vital Jordan Valley and the high ground surrounding Jerusalem and overlooking Israel's vulnerable cities along the Mediterranean coast. Hisbollah's 4,000 rocket attacks from the north in 2006 and hamas' 10,000 rocket and mortar attacks from Gaza, culminating in the 2009 Gaza war, both underscore the potential rocket threat against Israel's cities that could emerge from a Palestinian state in the West Bank if Israel were to withdraw to the pre-1967 lines.
Seems to go up every day , Chafeeka- sure it wasn't 200,000 attacks? That would make it abt equal to the increase in number of Jewish settlers on occupied Palestinian land during the Oslo "A, B and C" peace process.
While Abbas and the others in Palestinian leadership speak to the West in one language and the Arab street in a totally opposite language, there cannot be a State, particularly one that is armed. It will be many years until Israel is comfortable with an armed entity. Besides, why would they need to be armed to the teeth, if there is peace?? Who would the Palestinians need to be protected from, that would necessitate arms?? Bottom line, if there is to be peace and the formation of (G-d forbid) a State, it will take on baby steps and much trial and error until it becomes reality. Gaza was a litmus test and the Palestinians FLUNKED WITH FLYING COLORS. It gave israel and the International Community a preview of things to come. Nobody liked the picture that emerged.
..that smacks of colonialism. Gaza is not a state, it is part of Palestine - which remains under occupation. A people under occupation has the right to resist the occupying force. Continued oppression will never bring peace. And who would the Palestinians need to be protected from? From the only state and military power that keeps attacking and killing them, perhaps?
"Who would the Palestinians need to be protected from," Settlers ? people like you ? By the way who's armed to the teeth ? that's a joke right ?
if Israel is to take risks for peace, it needs to know the U.S. will be there for it if things go wrong. Who can guarantee that a future Palestinian state won’t go the way the Gaza Strip went? Unless there is a strong relationship with the U.S., which includes support for Israel’s demands for a non-militarized Palestinian state, the chances of making progress on the peace front will be negligible,” he avers. The same is true on the Iranian front. for Iran to take international sanctions seriously, it must believe that there are other options on the table if they fail. And that entails a perception in Tehran of a strong, coordinated Israel-U.S. strategic alliance. Otherwise the Iranians will say if America and Israel are not on the same wavelength, we can certainly go on doing what we are doing to develop a nuclear capability, which is unacceptable.
Egypt isn't demilitarized. Neither is Jordan. Lebanon is almost demilitarized, just short of it. Which of the three provides the least security for Israel? Demilitarization leave them open to armed takeover, not only by Israel, but by anybody else. And Israel isn't going to lift a finger until its a fait accompli, maybe not then. Israel stood by while Bush engineered Hamas into power in Gaza and drove them into Iran's arms. That was perfectly peachy for Israeli politicians.
The US and Israel are not on the same wavelength...nor should they be. The national interests of the US and Israel will never be completely congruent. Israel must do what's best for Israel...and the US should do much the same.
The US and Israel are not on the same wavelength...nor should they be. The national interests of the US and Israel will never be completely congruent. Israel must do what's best for Israel...and the US should do much the same.
The parties concerned achieve to build a state I can visualize without a DOUBT that once they do,their CHOICE WILL BE TO JOIN FORCES WITH HAMAS, and Israel will be in worse state than they already are. As for the Americans being with Israel methinks it is a bit of wishful thinking while there is a president who's party pris toward the Arab sheiks to do their bidding.Not much hope in that department unless and until IRAN is brought to heel before they produce thei nukes.At present no one really knows whether they indeed have the wherewithal.Shouting and announcing they have makes not the story true. Meantime Israel is sitting preety with its own deterren, whatever it may be or not...Secrets are secrets.
being on the same wavelengh does not mean being subjugation,friends yes but Israel will do what is best for irself,and let the US do the same.BUT can the US do without the Israeli intelligence services that provide the US all the information required? I don't think so. Can Egypt? can Jordan? Can Lebanon? oh oh never SAY DIE Lebanon is no more,JUST A NAME noting more nothing but a CAPTIVE of Hizballah. So,ot comes Lebanon from te list. Hmmm Who else is there to give the US information it needs? no one.Take it from there and DO THE MATH.