The Palestinian/Israeli Conflict Awaits Resolution

By: Leroy A. Binns Ph.D.

The untimely and suspicious passing of PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat on November 11 has left numerous questions unanswered. Among them, Will his replacement former Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas overcome local deterrents and energize the peace process by winning the hearts and minds of the Bush administration and in so doing his counterpart Ariel Sharon?

At the turn of the century an historic meeting between Arafat and Prime Minister Ehud Barak at the behest of President Clinton bore signs of the 1978 Camp David Accord that showcased Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin until the Palestinians rejected partial return of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and custodianship of East Jerusalem.

Conditions of Camp David 2000 Summit

Israeli annexation of 9 to 10% of the West Bank inclusive of settlement blocs and 10 to 15% of the land along the Jordan River – the latter on a long term lease.

A surrender of 1 to 3% of Israeli territory in the Negev dessert to Palestine

A limited control of East Jerusalem to the Palestinians

The crisis later experienced a downward spiral with the calculated visit by Sharon to the Temple Mount. Such display of arrogance ignited a confrontation between the Palestinians and his security and set the stage for the intifada that “crescendoed” culminating in fatalities of over 3,000 Palestinians and 1,000 Israelis to date.

Consequences of the holy war have influenced international attention as several attempts at restraint resulted in pacts on disengagement and further negotiation. In 2001 former CIA director George Tenet was instrumental in drafting an armistice while months later in joint sessions Arafat and Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres advocated in favor of similar ideals. US involvement pursued in the proceeding year as retired Marine General Anthony Zinni was dispatched to broker a peace treaty as were Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Colin Powell in 2003. American sponsorship of tranquility and political progress was also underscored in the President’s approval of the Road Map – a plan scripted by Washington and a trio of foreign entities, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations.

Concept of the Road Map

Expectation                                                                                          Deadlines

An end to Palestinian violence                                                             May 2003

Palestinian political reform, Israeli withdrawal

and freeze on settlement expectations, Palestinian

elections

 

Creation of an independent Palestinian state                                        June – Dec 2003

International conference and monitoring of

compliance with the road map.

 

Second international conference, permanent status agreement             early 2004 - 2005

and end of conflict, agreement on final borders, clarification of

the highly controversial fate of Jerusalem, refuges and

settlements, Arab states to agree to peace deals with Israel.

The significance of the catastrophe was not lost on the nongovernmental sector as a complimentary gesture better known as the Geneva Accord spearheaded by moderates Yossi Beilin and Yasser Abed Rabbo revived the spirit of the Camp David Summit by recommending the return of most of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in anticipation of restrictions on the amount of Palestinian refugees who sought re-entry to Israel. Within his capacity as prime minister, Abbas also engineered a truce by obtaining the allegiance of armed factions Hamas and Fatah.

Palestinian Military Organizations and Affiliates

Name                                                                           Activities

Hamas                                                              prior to 1989 fire bombing, arsons and other

                                                                         property damage.

                                                                         since 1989 kidnappings, shootings, suicide

                                                                         bombings and bomb attacks

 

Al-Aqsa Martyr’s Brigades                             suicide bombings most notably since 2002, on

- a component of Fatah                                    occasions in conjunction with Hamas.

 

Hezbollah ) a Syrian outfit                               funding, weapon smuggling and coordinated

                                                                         suicide bombing assaults with Al-Aqsa Martyr’s

                                                                         Brigades

Unfortunately the process of resolve has been transient. Deportment cited above has provoked or been in retaliation of adversarial aerial strikes, border closing and settlement and security blockade expansion – some of which has been denounced by previous and present White House administrations.

As evidence of democracy engulfs the Middle East particularly in states such as Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt and Saudi Arabia some observers have concurred that the onus is on the new Palestinian leadership comprised of a revitalized cabinet to utilize these and other developments to its advantage. Yet albeit the notion of parliamentary elections in Iraq, the collapse of Syrian governance in Lebanon and presidential and municipal reforms in Egypt and Saudi Arabia respectively could reduce the effectiveness of radical Islamic behavior and therefore aid in the quest for Palestinian statehood these illustrations are unpredictable and form but a single commendatory element – a pursuit for participatory governmental amendments within the Muslim society.

Consistency surrounding the ongoing rhetoric on this subject matter may be judged equally destructive as the warring factions consciously or unwittingly incite action. Occasions of conversion are rare with the likes of staunch and convincing advocates on both sides of the spectrum. Abraham Soafer a senior fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institute could mistakenly be categorized as an Israeli spokesman on the highly publicized Road Map. In his critique time becomes an issue of constraint accompanied by international pressure primarily forged by the United States to maintain a dialogue.

He purports that to alter the situation requires a transformation of Palestinian hostility and policies and practices of the international community including the US in acknowledgement of such behavior. Detractors are however aware of contradictions to such claim and reference Washington’s admonishment and condemnation of Palestinian undertakings via White House and UN proclamations and ultimately ostracism of Arafat for related reasons.

Hanan Ashrawi, a well respected academe and Palestinian legislator is of the opinion that her party is the subject of partiality which fortifies Israeli dismissive attitude on key elements associated with the establishment of a Palestinian state namely the transfer of seized property, the creation and/or dismantling of settlements and security barricades, the return of refugees and Palestinian rights to East Jerusalem. In current polls conducted by the Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) the American public also shared such sentiments by 58% and as a result championed UN supervision by 41%.

US Middle East Policy

 

Do you think the US favors Israeli                                          58%

Do you think the US favors the Palestinians                            4%

Is impartial                                                                               22%

Don’t know                                                                              16%                                                                

 

 

Stewardship of the Midde East Ordeal

 

Should the US lead the charge in the Middle East crisis                       13%

Should the UN lead the charge in the Middle East crisis                      41%

A group of nations including the US                                                     27%

Local leadership                                                                                     15%

According to Dr Ashrawi the Road Map’s emphasis on gradualism and conditionality coupled with a lack of culpability and arbitration has rendered this performance based proposition in concert with the status quo. On a positive note nonetheless the most recent official Palestinian/Israeli encounter and a moratorium on warfare that ensued entails overtures that could become cornerstones towards a resolution.

Outcome of the 2005 Palestinian/Israeli Conference

Issue                                                                            Concessions

Armistice                                                                     a halt to violence and military activity

Prisoners                                                                      the release of 900 convicts

Transfer of towns                                                        security control of 5 West Bank

                                                                                     municipalities

Welcoming likewise is the international convention hosted by British Prime Minister

Tony Blair with representatives from the US, UN, Arab League, World Bank and the IMF in attendance confirming the right to the existence of Palestine and America’s congressional request of $200 million in fiscal offerings to the Palestinians.

In spite of antagonism in the form of the Tel Aviv suicide bombing that claimed the lives of 5 while wounding dozens Sharon must consider his suspension of conciliatory gestures – a freeze on the release of 400 prisoners and 5 enclaves providing his objectives are in accordance with the fulfillment of goodwill. Meanwhile the Bush administration must encourage Israel to satisfy its obligations.

Since the conception of the state of Israel in 1949 America has endured a seamless friendship with her Jewish counterpart at a cost of over $100 billion.

US Monetary Contributions to Israel

FY 1995 – FY 2005

(billions in dollars)

Year                                                                 Total

1995                                                                3,102.4

1996                                                                3,147.3

1997                                                                3,132.1

1998                                                                3,080.0

1999                                                                3,010.0

2000                                                                4,129.1

2001                                                                2,876.1

2002                                                                2,848.0

2003                                                                3,742.1 (estimate)

2004                                                                2,687.3 (estimate)

2005                                                                2,630.0 (proposed)

Note: Loan guarantees are not considered foreign aid and are therefore excluded

Semblance of a balanced relationship with the parties could enhance a two prong result – political and economic sustenance in the region and a reduction in military and financial aid hovering at or beyond $3 billion annually or 30% of America’s foreign budget to a single recipient.

The United States must seize the moment presented by the Road Map by facilitating close engagement with its Arab and European allies to eliminate ambiguities that could undermine a fragile retreat and with the abovementioned signatories provide tangible benefits such as housing, employment and essential infrastructure in an effort to rebuild the Palestinian economy and ultimately create a peaceful state of Palestine within a considerable timeframe. The continuation of discriminatory conduct is a recipe for unforeseen disaster.