Palestinian Nationalism
A national homeland for the Palestinians. Why ever not? Most ethnic, cultural groups sharing common traditions and geographies feel themselves needful of a country of their own, their homeland. For the Palestinians the goal has been an elusive one, part of which can be attributed to their very own fractiousness, their bad luck in their leadership, their confusing and competing interests.Whenever success seems to loom on the near horizon, enabling the potential of statehood, it becomes an elusive dream because they cannot come to a collective agreement or those who purport to have their best interests at heart as their elite representatives harbour suspicion of the intent of others and demand concessions which have the effect of placing the imminent a little further on the back burner.
Although at the present time secular Fatah and Islamist Hamas have signed a peace treaty between them, they represent the very essence of opposing and competing forces mitigating against the creation of a Palestinian state. While Fatah, the successor to the Palestine Liberation Organization, had the living potential to accomplish a precursor to a Palestinian state, they failed miserably through corruption and disinterest in the well-being of the Palestinian population.
The Palestinians themselves as a group, held the promises that their leadership gave them close to their hearts, believing their protestations of determination to achieve statehood on their behalf. Leading to opportunities for self-determination in a thriving economy in an atmosphere of security and the recognition of justice and peace with their neighbours. Instead, Fatah under Yasser Arafat went deeper into the dark recesses of human greed and carried away funds allocated to the Palestinian people for needed civic infrastructure.
Their little private nest eggs accumulated to great personal wealth in a safe and secure environment abroad beggared the needs of the Palestinians who suffered a deprived existence while hoping for a better future. Now failed Fatah grapples for supremacy with Hamas and political bickering takes them ever further away from the potential of statehood. Instead of pooling resources and determination, installing security and law and order, creating an atmosphere of co-operation between themselves and Israel, they are at war.
Despite the Mecca accord the kidnapping and killing between the protagonists continues. Gaza, abandoned by the Israelis to the Palestinians has sunk into a human cesspit of despair as roaming tribal gangs inspire fear in the populace and continually attempt to launch attacks into Israel, along with incessant lobbing of Kassam rockets across the border. Expatriate Palestinian intellectuals look on from abroad with a sense of hopeless foreboding.
"What has come to pass in Gaza is embarrassing and shameful", according to Rashid Khalidi director of Columbia University's Middle East Institute. "You may be seeing the collapse of the Palestinian national movement. It might take us back an entire generation", he claims. "There has been a failure of leadership and it is time that Palestinian leaders looked at their own weaknesses instead of blaming everything on Zionism, imperialism and other outside forces."
Raji Sourani, director of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights in Gaza said in an interview that "officials with the mindset of a banana republic are causing tremendous damage to the Palestinian cause". Palestinians, it has been pointed out "completely lost faith and trust in their leaders", according to a political analyst in Gaza, Hani Habib. An essay in the Palestine Chronicle by Ramzy Baround characterized the Palestinian leadership as being permeated by ideological exclusivism, cronyism and corruption, making it as "ineffective as ever before".
"All our leaders have wronged and harmed the image of the Palestinian people and enabled Israel to tell the world that Palestinians do not deserve a state of their own", according to a young athletics coach in Gaza. He's correct in his observation that the Palestinian leadership and their failed politicians have wronged the Palestinians. But they do need the comfort and satisfaction of having a state of their own. It's within their reach to prove the naysayers wrong.
To achieve that they will have to demand responsible and civil behaviour of their representatives, which would include the recognition of their neighbour's right to existence. They will have to insist that those who wish to represent their interests must become sufficiently involved and dedicated to that task by proving to the world at large that they are ready for statehood.
By defusing the incendiary situation whereby Palestinians are encouraged to initiate violent acts against 'the occupier'. In so doing persuade 'the occupier' that there is no need for their continued presence, and that the time for sitting together at the negotiating table has arrived. Where borders can be established, land relinquished, a mutually responsive relationship be worked toward.
It will always be in Israel's best interests that her neighbour be capable of self-support in its own emerging economy. Everything is possible when adversaries lay down their distrust and suspicion to take up a position of trust and co-operation. Recognition comes first, responsible negotiation follows. Palestinian nationalism can become a reality.
Labels: Middle East
posted by Pieface @ Monday, April 02, 2007
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