Negotiating Apace!
Negotiations continue but there is little-to-no-room for bargaining. Fact is, the discussions are labelled negotiations, but there are in fact precious few items which the Palestinian Authority is willing to negotiate away. They negotiate not from the perspective that each party is prepared, however loathe, to surrender something to the opposite party for the eventual agreement of both to gain the desired end; peace, but that of certain entitlement.There is nothing constructive about negotiations which have as their basis unrestrained demands with no concessions to be entertained. Entitlements, aggressively, adamantly demanded. With the added incentive of threats of renewed violence should the more reasonable party fail to satisfy the demands of the aggrieved party. The party of perennial aggrievement, always and ever opposed to the agreeably solution-challenged other.
Mahmoud Abbas and his henchmen are quite clear in these deliberations. Fatah spokesman and advisor to Mr. Abbas, Ahmed Abdel Rachman unabashedly declares that the discussions are not to be seen as an exercise in potential concessions on each side for the end purpose of agreement leading to a cessation of hostilities - because, as Mr. Rachman declared, Palestinians have nothing whatever to concede.
Get used to it: The PA has no plan however remote to offer concessions at the upcoming meeting in Annapolis. "We want eastern Jerusalem as it was before June 4, 1967, without occupation and without settlements." This is not an irresponsible attestation to the implacability of PA demands in the discussions, rather as he would have it, Israeli wishes to retain the Old City are "irresponsible".
As though the historical record does not place all of Jerusalem firmly in Jewish possession. The biblical-era city was founded by Jews, the ancient Temple of Solomon was a Jewish dedication, the aspirations of the Jewish nation have always centered around their time-honoured claim of ownership.
Jews have always lived in the city, there has always been a Jewish presence there. Arab presence as expressed through Islam is a late-comer, a usurper of the heart-core of Judaism.
However, Iran's premier Ayatollah, Ali Khomeini, trembling with rage at the insult to Allah, calls on all Muslim states to disdain the Annapolis (Maryland, U.S.) conference. Not only Iran, but also Sudan is irate that Israel will not relent and hand over to the Palestinians all that they demand, from border designations, to the rendering up of Jerusalem for a PA capital, to the open-arms welcome of Palestinian refugees within Israel.
With these two world-class pariahs in their corner, what better champions on the world stage for the Palestinians? Khartoum's Mustafa Othman Ismail, a representative of the Sudanese president, is destined to take a leading role in the talks. For perspective, this is the same Sudan whose government refuses to arrest one of its most powerful ministers to send him to the International criminal Court for prosecution for crimes against humanity.
The outstanding warrant against Ahmed Haroun states he is responsible for the killing and displacement of civilians his government deems enemies of the state. The Sudanese regime, anxious to do their duty as a fellow Muslim state on behalf of the Palestinians demonstrated its contempt for the International Criminal Court by giving Mr. Haroun the humanitarian portfolio and with it control over two million people he is himself responsible for displacing.
With the head of state of Iran - which threatens world stability by its determined quest for nuclear capability and its stated narrative on the need to spread Islam throughout the world in a new world order, along with the destruction of the State of Israel - supporting the Palestinian cause alongside that of the state of Sudan who could argue the sterling reputation for human rights being brought to the table?
As a measure certain to gain support worldwide for the plight of the Palestinians who appear incapable of ever offering an honest attempt at resolution of their statelessness, this is one certain winner.
Labels: Justice, Middle East, Realities
posted by Pieface @ Tuesday, October 16, 2007
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