By Mahmoud Al Abed
English News Editor
The Palestinians and the Arabs in general no longer buy communiqués issued by Arab meetings, either at the summit or ministerial level.
In this light, the Qatari foreign minister’s assessment that the Arab foreign ministers' meeting in Cairo last week was a “step forward” leaves one wondering – for who?
The thousands of Lebanese and Palestinians who marched in the streets of Beirut Friday provided an apt response to the minister, who said the public should be realistic enough not to expect miracles from the 21 Arab – supposed – policymakers at the meeting.
The Palestinians on Friday had to withdraw a request to the UN Security Council that international monitors be deployed to oversee a ceasefire in the Occupied Territories. The ostensible truce has been nonexistent since 1967, when Israel began its military occupation of conquered land – creating, by definition, a state of war.
Analysts say Palestinian diplomats knew in advance that efforts to skirt an American veto of the proposal would prove fruitless, but were mounting a PR campaign to highlight the US-funded Israeli army’s extensive human rights violations.
This is also considered a “step forward.”
But the question is: why are we not making progress toward obtaining our “internationally legitimate rights” thanks to these blessed steps forward?
Three Palestinian resistance fighters on Saturday stormed a camp of the Israeli occupation army. Ready to die for a free country for their families, they killed three soldiers and wounded seven.
To a Palestinian mother of any of the 100 kids shot dead in the streets of Gaza or Ramallah, this is indeed a step forward.
Let’s look at the matter from a different angle. The Arab politicians and their disappointing meetings are indeed supporting the Intifada, simply by throwing everyday Palestinian men and women into despair, which drives them to act according to a maxim that might be translated as “live in dignity or die, but before that make sure that as many Israeli occupiers as possible die as well.”
Now the ball is in the court of Israel’s arrogant politicians, who, if they had a clue, would fear rather than praise the wishy-washy stances of the “moderate” leaders. After all, how can you describe as a “friend” a politician whose sheer ineffectiveness is spreading radicalism and desperation among your enemies?
The Western media, which enjoys describing the Palestinian resistance fighters’ struggle against occupation as “terrorism,” are also helping spill more Israeli blood.
Time magazine’s recent report on the battles in Hebron are reasonably complete, except for the omission of the fact that the city is militarily occupied Palestinian land, and that the settlers, by international law, have no right to be there.
What are we supposed to expect? Are Israel, the world, and President Bush - who parrots Sharon’s clichés about having to stop Palestinian “violence” - aware of the fact that Palestinians will never throw roses at Israeli tanks and bulldozers?
Israel should take a “step forward,” reconsider its “painful compromises,” and think seriously about giving back what it took from the Palestinians. Those compromises will end up being a lot more painful in a few years, by which time the world’s 275 million Arabs and one billion Muslims will be better armed and less easily intimidated.
The sooner the better. Israel should one day recognize the Palestinian right to wake up and see no more settlements, no more checkpoints, no more tanks, no more humiliations and no more Arab summits.
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
