Waiting ... Please Do Not Move Your Dial
We interrupt all those news broadcasts extolling the potential virtues of the Israel-Palestinian peace negotiations. They are destined to fail. No nation can afford to sign off on half a peace deal; it leaves its outer flanks exposed and vulnerable to attack by that half of the peoples' representatives who resisted signing on.And, regardless of the constant prodding, nudging and reminders emanating from various Arab countries exhorting Fatah and Hamas to re-integrate and co-operate for the greater good of the Palestinians, nothing positive will result.
How is the greater good of the Palestinian population brought forward by two factions, each claiming to represent their interests, while failing to agree on the course of action, let alone demonstrating their incapacity to join forces. Instead, resorting to blaming one another, fuelling suspicion of one undercutting the other, while in essence they battle violently between themselves, amply proving their tenuous hold on reality.
The reality is there is an established, world-recognized, legal state called Israel, and to prolong the useless violent chafing against its existence, and longing for a return to a real estate market they never had to begin with, will solve nothing. Little wonder the Palestinians and their leaders are mired in the quicksand of bitter history; their Arab compatriots brought them there, led the way to conquer the upstart, then dumped them with the results.
It was a bitter foe of Israel, one who fought wars with that country, saw the failures that war brought to his own country and the region as a whole, and interpreted the result as an indication that he'd backed the wrong track. Anwar Sadat courageously, and with no pre-conditions, brought himself to Israel, to bargain for peace. At a time when Egypt was a power source in the Arab world. So why, apart from Jordan, did no other Arab countries deign to follow suit?
The futility of the drawn-out stalemate, the loss of lives, the disadvantaged economic fall-outs, the political instability, all point to a universally failed resistance to Arab acceptance of the legitimate presence of the Jewish State. Then a grudging consensus emerged with the Arab League Initiative - Israel, here it is, take it or leave it. Leave it and you leave the only opportunity the collective Arab presence will allow you to exist in peace.
This bespeaks ultimatum, a reaction of necessity to a discomfiting situation. It bears little relation to a good-will initiative, a willingness to face one another, discuss vital issues, come to co-operative agreement, with each side of the equation ultimately agreeing to give a little to gain a lot. The ultimate came fully equipped with a bruising grudge, one that would not permit Arab diplomats to acknowledge the presence of their Israeli counterparts; to shrink at extending a tentative hand of friendship.
As an initiative, as a foot in the door, it wasn't much to celebrate, and could handily be overlooked by the Palestinian delegation, comfortable in the reality that the entire Arab world is behind them, inclusive of their general violent antipathy to doing business with the Jews. Is a peace agreement between all elements possible? It would, of necessity, have to include Syria, which insists on inclusion - and return of the Golan Heights. What guarantees come with that premise? A halt to the training, funding and equipping of Hezbollah and Hamas?
The Arab League Initiative lingers, but a sign of possibility must come from that side which holds the overwhelming balance of political, social and population power. Not tiny Israel, but the collective of the Arab League. Everyone is fed up, sick and tired of ongoing blame, violence, wars and death. Can Israel really be blamed for its paranoia? Who brought it to that state? As a sign of good will and a promise for a settled and peaceful future, think how powerful a statement it would be for each of the Arab countries to select a representative to visit Israel as a group.
Surprise, Israel, here we are, and we are here to assure you that we understand you're here to stay, too. There's a lot we don't quite like about your politics, your social customs, your religion, your culture, but we do like a few other things; your economic success, your scientific initiatives, your agricultural and trade prowess. We also admire your education system, and think we could learn from all of that. Can we do business? Of course that might impinge on traditional interpretations of "honour", that Arab countries might lose face, making overtures.
How would that sit with Hezbollah and Hamas? Rock them back on their heels? Encourage them to re-think priorities? Stimulate the Palestinian Authority to set aside secret agendas and begin to work diligently with Israel to settle differences, to reach agreement on mutual requirements for stability and sovereignty? The Arab League giving a true, earnest and practical stamp of approval to a peace process. Israel would jump for joy, embrace her former adversaries, leap into the future with confidence and haul them alongside.
Enabling the Palestinian population to do the same. And wouldn't that be about time? With normalization between the governors of the Arab countries - the sheiks, the princes, the kings, their parliaments - this would demonstrate to their populations that there is a way that civilized countries can accommodate themselves to the presence of one other, fundamentally unlike themselves. That living in harmony with disparate member-states has the potential leading to other, enriching opportunities.
There are the options of exchanging vital information about methods of production and manufacture, entering emerging markets, sharing trade opportunities, opening up an exchange of educational institutions, teaching hospitals, technicians, entrepreneurship. Ultimately, all of the involved countries stand to benefit from co-operation. Their populations will also, over a period of time, recognize benefits from that co-operation with greater employment opportunities.
It's past time for realities to emerge, as enmities are finally put to rest. The world grows steadily smaller with globalization, and a bracing union of the states of the Middle East would present as an economic and trade powerhouse of opportunities.
Labels: Israel, Middle East, Political Realities
posted by Pieface @ Wednesday, March 26, 2008
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