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Subject: Palestine Chronicle - Journey in Middle East Capitals
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: Wed, 21 Nov 2007 17:29:43 -0600
Dear Readers:
Dan Liebermans visit to Palestine, Israel, Jordan and Syria, as a member of
a US delegation, led to face-to-face talks with prime ministers, foreign
ministers, officials and ordinary people. Below is his report, exclusive to
PalestineChronicle.com
PALESTINECHRONICLE.COM FEATURE ARTICLE
The Turbulent Winds of the Annapolis Conference
By Dan Lieberman
Special to PalestineChronicle.com
Discussing the proposed Annapolis Conference, in face-to-face talks with the
prime ministers, foreign ministers and non-government officials (NGOs) of
Israel, Palestinian Authority, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, revealed how far we
are from achieving peace in the Middle East and how far Annapolis is from the
Earth that others walk upon. As part of a delegation of six intrepid fact
finders, supported by the Council for the National Interest (CNI), a Washington
based NGO that labors intensively to determine paths towards Middle East peace,
I found a hopeful wind that moved Israeli and Palestinian to portray optimism.
This hopeful wind slowly reduced in force in Jordan, quickly diminished when
meeting Syrian vice-presidents and turned to an ill wind in meetings with the
Lebanese president, prime minister and foreign minister in the second week of
November.
The search for Middle East peace started on a discordant note at a meeting
with Gush Shalom (peace bloc) spokesperson Uri Avnery, the most notable
advocate for a just peace with the Palestinians. Uri used the words unsure
and window dressing to describe the intended conference. He didnt sense that
Hamas, with whom he has close contacts, would agree to a piece of paper and
voiced the opinion that Hamas would only make a truce and not a peace pact.
Kadimas Knesset member Amira Dotan spoke of Annapolis as a symbol, with
its success defined as starting a process. Deputy Speaker Dr. Ahmed Tibi
said: The U.S. should create the conditions for making it a success. Its
failure will strengthen Hamas, Hezbollah and the Iranian/Syrian axis. Other
official sources were more open; expressing views that Israel is an army that
has a state and Defense Minister Barak is the major culprit in preventing any
peace initiative.
The Ramallah landscape of enormous white brick housing developments against
the brown dirt background disguises the actual despondency and poverty of the
Palestinian people. Palestinian Authority (PA) officials, especially Foreign
Minister Riad al-Maliki, tried to be optimistic about the Annapolis conference.
They want a complete agenda with final talks, but have become more motivated,
in Prime Minister Salam Fayeds words, by fear of failure than promise of
success, and are being forced into unwanted compromises just to justify a
meeting. President Abbas Chief of Staff Rafiq Husseini insisted that Israel
must move the separation wall to the Green Line. Interior Minister Abdel Razzah
al-Yahya reiterated that there will be no two-state solution if Israel does
not withdraw to the 1967 boundaries and does not give the Palestinians oxygen
to breathe. The lack of oxygen stifles the Palestinians, who are already torn
by internecine warfare between Fatah and Hamas and by
conflict with organizations in Nablus that are a combination of criminals,
protestors against social and economic negligence, and militants against Israel
occupation. . The Palestinian Authority is powerless and it is not obvious how
they can negotiate anything and receive approval from a majority of
Palestinians, especially when they continue to experience Israel s brutal
occupation of the West Bank.
Illegal settlements have destroyed Palestinian life in central Hebron . When
the Israeli military attempted to evict the settlers, the settlers broke
windows and ruined the Palestinian shops. For an incomprehensible reason, the
settlers have returned to their illegal positions and Palestinian shops and
houses are now empty. To enforce the settler presence, Israeli security
checkpoints have been installed at all former entrances to the market. These
settlers make claim to properties taken from Jews during riots against Hebron
Jews back in 1929, but do not display any rights of inheritance or deeds to any
of the properties. Can this claim of a collective right have a legal basis?
Contrast the Hebron settlers illegal positions and false claims with
Palestinians, who have legal deeds to properties in Israel , and are prevented
from recovering their properties.
A separation wall winds through West Bank territory and completely encircles
West Bank cities, such as Qualqilya and Abu Dis. Residents are hindered from
leaving these cities, from going to schools and from cultivating lands. The
wall has also caused accumulations of water and created puddles in the
Palestinian neighborhoods. The obstructive wall includes 580 fortified
checkpoints every five miles. There are also flying checkpoints, settler bypass
roads, a planned North South super highway for Israelis only, blocked
Palestinian village roads, and travel restrictions to Jerusalem . These
restrictive conditions have separated Palestinian communities and families,
choked the Palestinian economy and obstructed daily exchanges between peoples.
Highways slice through Palestinian lands and completely separate farm homes
from agriculture. The inhumanity of all these installations and regulations is
beyond belief.
Hamas. Rafiq Husseini summed the PA attitude with a sigh and said, Dont
worry, this is the land of miracles. What we need is a prayer meeting.
Jordan is also a land of miracles, its capital city Amman spanning hills with
an advanced network of bridges, tunnels and super highways. Traffic is horrific
and only moves because there are few traffic lights in the entire city. Jordan
s increasing prosperity and touchy stability depends upon western investment,
special export privileges and friendly relations to neighbors, especially
Israel .
Depending upon foreign investment, coping with the 500,000 700,000 Iraq
displaced persons, still contending with the integration of the massive
Palestinian population within, and maintaining friendly relations with Israel
guide Jordan s foreign policies. Foreign Minister Abdelelah al-Khatib, as most
Middle East leaders, considered the Israel/Palestinian conflict as the core
issue to be resolved before peace and stability can arrive in the Middle East .
He volunteered that Avigdor Lieberman, Israel s Russian immigrant hardliner,
has become most influential in the peace process. A highly important
Jordanian official was blunt. He was not positive on Annapolis , believes
Israel does not want peace, does not have the political will to seek peace and
wants to shift the burden of more displaced Palestinians to Jordan . Minister
of Planning Suhair al-Ali, as gracious as a woman can be, noted that deceased
King Hussein was into politics, but the new King Abdullah is
more into development. She had one plea: No matter the results of Annapolis
, dont demonize Islam.
Damascus is a surprise. Expect a faded grey and ancient city, still
struggling with the 20th century, and find a lively, advanced city with
sparkling new neighborhoods, super highways that dont interfere with the
citys appearance and a population that is amicable and sympathetic; never a
harsh look, never a bitter word, although Syria remains a totalitarian
government that does not allow much free expression. To its credit, Syria has
succored Palestinians forced from Israel , who have established their own
neighborhoods, but still remain committed to return to their homeland. Added
to its credit is the recent sacrifice in allowing 1.2 million Iraqi displaced
persons (similar to Jordan , Syria refuses to call them refugees) to move among
its population and secure housing, free education and entry to the health
system. Syria deserves commendation for acting as a safety valve to the
calamities resulting from displaced Palestinians and Iraqis that have occurred
from
several wars.
Not surprisingly, Syrian vice president of Foreign Relations Farouk Sharaa
didnt have much expectation for the Annapolis conference, believes all Israel
s political parties fear peace and senses that the U.S. policies encouraged
Israel to attack Lebanon and continue the conflict. Israel is on a suicide path
and, if Israel is a decision maker in the U.S. then the U.S. loses. The vice
president contradicted an accepted belief that Syria will not accept direct
assistance for the Iraqi displaced persons. NGOs and the U.S. government are
welcome to contribute their assistance. CNI made news by revealing to the U.S.
Press a Syrian commitment to screen Iraqi displaced persons for entry into the
U.S.
The Vice president of Cultural Affair. Najah al-Attar, exhibited welcoming
smiles, and sensitivity and empathy for oppressed peoples. She spoke of there
not being peace without justice, made references to the destruction of the
Palestinians and noted that Jews lived in peace in Syria , where they were
prosperous and accepted members of the parliament. A small Jewish community
survives in Northern Syria , and a Rabbi is flown in each week from Turkey to
perform the rabbinical rites that assure the food is kosher.
Not kosher was a clandestine trip to meet a minor Hamas official, who
turned out to be Khalid Meshal, official leader of Hamas, exiled in Damascus.
The world became more aware of Meshal when Israels Mossad tried to assassinate
him in Amman . Jordan s King Abdullah forced Israel to immediately supply an
antidote to the poison given to Meshal by threatening to publicly hang the
Mossad agents who tried to kill the Hamas leader. Meshal does not fill the
western media description of a wild eyed fanatic. On the contrary, he is a
friendly, deliberate and well spoken person who makes sense to the many who
subscribe to similar positions.
He said that Israel does not want peace and both negotiating parties arent
strong enough to market their results to their peoples. Meshal doesnt
delineate Hamas positions, but defers to a Palestinian position that accepts
1967 borders and an Arab position that has accepted the two-state solution.
Since 2002, Bush has repeatedly spoken of support for a two-state solution, but
where is it? The Hamas leader expects the region to be more explosive.
Nevertheless, if the PA feels the Palestinian rights have been fulfilled, Hamas
will welcome that. He has proposed a Hudna (truce), and if Israel responds
positively, Hamas will not be an obstacle to peace. If the Right of Return is
the only remaining problem, Hamas will compromise, and accept the will of the
people. He claims Hamas does not encourage militancy, does not desire a
theocratic state, is a national liberation movement and will let the
Palestinian people decide its own government.
Lebanon greets the visitor with an ominous view of the famous Mdairej bridge,
the highest bridge in the Middle East and the pride of Lebanon. The mid-section
of its elegant span remains gone, destroyed by Israeli jets on the first day of
war. Beirut and Southern Lebanon still show scars of the war; destroyed
bridges, damaged roads, and huge holes in Beirut sections. The old section of
Bent Jabal (daughter of the mountain), which was invaded by Israeli troop, is
completely damaged. It is now a rubble of ancient rocks.
Lebanon is again in one of its perpetual crises; an inability to reach a
parliamentary consensus and elect a new president. Although some are quick to
blame Syria and Hezbollah for creating a climate of fear and for the lack of
consensus, major Lebanese officials dont agree that Hezbollah is the culprit
for the impasse, just the opposite, the majority holds power by an archaic law
and fears becoming a minority.
The majority is most represented by billionaire Member of Parliament (MP),
Saad Hariri, son of assassinated former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri. Saad
Hariri senses a significant negative shift in Israels attitude towards wanting
peace after Rabins assassination. Nevertheless, he feels Abu Mazen wants peace
and Annapolis, even if delayed, must still happen. The two sides can reach an
agreement. He is less optimistic concerning his own nation: Money and arms
are pouring into the arms of the allies of Syria. Hariri has not moved about
Beirut for 2 ½ years and has received death threats. Fifty of his fellow MPs
are barricaded in the Phoenician hotel, fearful of their lives. Except for
Prime Minister Siniora, who accuses Syria and Hezbollah of creating this fear,
of being uncooperative and wanting to keep situations unresolved so that
Hezbollah can maintain its arms, the other principal government officials
support Hezbollahs position.
Former General and now MP, Michael Aoun, described the year 2000 law that
gerrymanded the nation so that the March 14 Party and its allies acquired a
majority of 72 parliament seats, although receiving only 1/3 of the vote. This
makes the present government illegitimate and favors Hezbollahs proposition
that the only fair solution to the impasse is a new election law, followed by a
new election that will award seats in proportion to popular vote. President
Emil Lahoud claims the present parliament majority has the backing of the major
western powers and is working against the constitution. For this reason, the
opposition, meaning Hezbollah, has the right to avoid reaching consensus.
Foreign Minister Fawzi Sallougkh read carefully from a prepared document. He
doesnt believe Iran wants to dominate Lebanon and believes the U.S. should
establish good relations with Iran.
Lebanese leaders were particularly angered with Israels aggressive attitude
towards the Arab world and what they perceived as U.S. support for this
attitude. They are most concerned with the negotiations that will decide the
fate of the Palestinian refugees, the reason being that the refugees cannot
receive citizenship in Lebanon and have created social and economic havoc for
decades. Prime Minister Fouad Siniora was more sanguine and more universal in
his characterization of what he termed to be an Arab/Israeli conflict. He
considered Israel to be guilty of the situation and leading the world into a
catastrophe that will affect all peoples. He allowed permission to quote him,
and my notes show these remarks:
The Arab/Israel conflict is the maker of most problems and control of
Jerusalem is a paramount issue. The conflict consumes most efforts in the
region, is not restricted to the Middle East and diverts attention from other
meaningful issues in all regions. The conflict started from the Balfour
Declaration, arose from the extent of injustice inflicted upon the Palestinian
people, is leading to further frustration in the Arab world, and is generating
extremism. The Israeli 1980 invasion created Hezbollah and a new set of
problems. Now, Syria , and other parties (meaning Hezbollah), are not showing
cooperation and want to keep issues unresolved. Nevertheless, President Bush
has been unfair to Lebanon , Arab nations and also to his own United States .
The U.S. keeps preaching democracy but defends dictatorships.
Hezbollah, the Party of God, remains the contentious focus of Lebanon
politics. Nevertheless, the Lebanese government has denominated Hezbollah as a
resistance movement rather than a militia so that they can keep their arms
despite the truce agreement which banned militias. Hezbollah leaders are firm
that they will never recognize Israel . Surprisingly, they favor a single
democratic state where all peoples are equal and all religions can be practiced
without interference. They claim to be politically secular and their government
operations dont contradict that thesis.
Annapolis is 50 miles from the nations capital, but it is light years away
from the hearts and minds of Arab peoples who want assurance of peace and
stability in the Middle East. That is one observers conclusions from travels
through the Middle East capitals.
-Dan Lieberman has been active in alternative politics for many years. He is
the editor of Alternative Insight , a monthly web based newsletter. Dan has
many published articles on the Middle East conflicts. He can be reached at:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
ABDUL WAHID OSMAN BELAL
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