Availing What?
There is much to be said for the instinctive kindness offered by Western societies toward others unlike their own. A collective of conscience willing and eager to assist those whom they perceive to be in need. They recognize themselves as a world community having attained more than a measure of success in their social, political and economic advancement, in their status as wealthy and responsible achievers.And so there was little hesitation and much hope imbued in the offers of aid to the Palestinian Authority when international donors pledged the considerable sum of $7.4-billion in Paris at a conference scheduled in the wake of the Annapolis event, to try to buoy the failing economic and political infrastructure of the PA. This was a gathering impressive in the scope of its international attendance.
Attending were representatives of 90 states and organizations, as well as the World Bank, Islamic Development Bank and International Monetary Fund. The largest donor was the European Union, followed by the United States, Britain, France, Canada, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia. Hope springs eternal. For this was not the first instance where huge donations were made to the PA.
The funds pledged by Canada - $300-million over five years - is conditional on progress in peace negotiations and Palestinian democratic reforms. "We see it as an important vote of confidence by the international community" said the PA's Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. "I'm really grateful to Canada, to the Canadian people, for the support they're going to give the Palestinians" said the "Quartet's" peace envoy, Tony Blair.
Nicolas Sarkozy called on Israel to ease its occupation of Palestinian territories, in preparation of relinquishing all land captured in 1967, when it defended its existence against a combined Arab-nations attack. "It is in Israel's best interest, provided its own security is not threatened, to foster a normal existence in the West Bank" said Mr. Sarkozy. "This will enable Palestinians to work, to stop ruminating on their own humiliation."
Yes, of course. That caveat: "...provided its own security is not threatened..." strikes a chord, for that goes to the heart of the matter. Mahmoud Abbas insists on a lifting of military checkpoints, a halt to construction of the separation barrier - and prisoner releases. Why are the checkpoints in place, the separation barrier built, the prisoners arrested? Why has the Palestinian Authority not exercised its authority in halting attacks against Israel?
How can Israel relax its vigilance, open up corridors of trade, assist in the mobilization of PA interests, when its security is continually violently threatened? And there lies the crux of the matter. Yes, Israel must halt its expansion, its West Bank settlements must be removed, unless it reaches reciprocal land-trade agreements with the PA. But security is uppermost in importance.
The world looks elsewhere, anywhere else, lest they be forced to recognize and admit that Israel's security remains violently breached while the PA continues its pretenses. Bypassing the pre-requisite, the dire need for the PA to take real measures to halt terror attacks, to give it the moral authority to make demands upon Israel. But that would also mean a sweeping change in the PA constitution, and measured steps to alter their tribal culture of placing blame and threatening reprisals.
All this additional pledging of funding, according to Oxfam - among other humanitarian groups - is completely redundant. Donors, Oxfam warned, were simply pouring funds "into a leaking bucket". Their argument being that aid efforts now in place more than sufficiently funded, were hampered by Israeli restrictions on movement.
"The challenge is to fix the leak, not pour faster. ...Due to Israel's movement restrictions and the blockade of Gaza, millions of dollars of aid for Palestinians are being lost", according to Adam Leach, Oxfam's Middle East director. Again - why would that be? Why would Israel place restrictions on movement? Why isn't Oxfam asking why the PA cannot exert its authority to halt terror attacks on Israel?
Strangely enough, and historically proven, when the Palestinian Authority is granted special recognition - as it always has been - and it receives encouragement and funding, it manages somehow to fail in its mission to produce a reasonable facsimile of honourable intent and practical measures to benefit its dependents.
International acknowledgement and funding feed a strange tribal triumphalism. It rarely results in accomplishment.
The funding mysteriously dribbles away. In its stead resentment becomes renascent, violence raises its ugly head yet again, ever more potent weaponry somehow discovered cached away and taken up in yet another intifada against the Palestinians' oppressors.
They have not yet discovered the simple truth that they are their own oppressors, that the never-ending cycle of recrimination, violence and bloodlust will never garner them the place they aspire to.
Labels: Middle East, Terrorism, Traditions, World News
posted by Pieface @ Tuesday, December 18, 2007
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